Course Reserves Policies
Course reserves are designed to provide a high level of access to material that is in demand by a large number of students. Typically materials are taken from the open shelves, placed in a controlled access area and given short loan periods to maximize access to materials. Fines are set at a high level to motivate borrowers to return material on time for use by other borrowers.
Placing Materials on Reserve
• Materials are accepted for course reserve Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Materials received after 4 p.m. will not be available for use until the next business day. Items must include the name of the course instructor, the course number and the title the students will request (homework, class notes, journal articles, etc.).
• Photocopies and other loose materials must be bound in some manner, either included in a manila folder or a loose leaf binder. One folder or binder must be provided for each copy of an item to be placed on reserve. The library cannot provide folders or binders.
• Faculty should use the faculty course reserve request to place books owned by the library on reserve. Videotapes included in the library catalog may also be requested for course reserve. The library routinely places on reserve for you any items you have ordered for your students through the bookstore – if the library already owns them. • Personal materials will be accepted for reserve; however, the library assumes no responsibility for personal items which disappear from the reserve shelf.
• You may request that the library order any materials needed for reserve which the library does not currently own. Please contact Library Director Melora Norman, by email at mnorman@unity.edu or campus ext. 233, for information about ordering. Please specify that the materials are for course reserve and which term or semester they are needed. It is important to plan sufficient time for new orders to be received and processed before students need to use them.
• The rush for class reserves happens at the beginning of each term. The earlier we can get your list, the sooner we can have the materials available for your class.
• Journals and reference books are not available for course reserve.
• The library will not place materials belonging to another library or institution on course reserve. Please request purchase of these items.
• If problems with reserve materials are reported, the library staff will contact the course instructor or his/her appointed representative (work study student, e.g.). The library cannot assume responsibility for replacing copies or correcting materials on reserve.
• The library does not normally purchase textbooks for classes. If you would like these available, please work through your division chair.
• At the end of each term, please come to the library to collect your personal materials and photocopies which are no longer needed on reserve.
Use of Course Reserves
• All course reserves are intended for use in-house for two hours. However, because our circulation system does not recognize checkout periods of less than one day, this policy cannot be realistically enforced.
• Please encourage your students to be considerate of their classmates’ need to use these materials. Other circulation periods may be requested by the course instructor.
• Library materials which would normally circulate may be charged out overnight. These items may be taken out 30 minutes before closing and are due back one hour after opening the next day. If you would like this status blocked for library materials on your reserve, please alert the library staff.
• All overdue class reserves are fined at a rate of $1.00 per day with no maximum fine.
• Personal items (books, photocopies, etc.) are not available for overnight sign out without the permission of the course instructor.
Suggestions for Course Reserves
If you ask your students to use a specific book for an assignment, even if this will only be a one time task, please contact the library to have the book placed on reserve before you make the assignment. Frequently, the first student to reach the library charges out the book, making it unavailable to other class members.