Library Reserve Service
- Scope of Policy
- This policy establishes guidelines for Ellis Library’s reserve materials service. UMC branch libraries will abide by these guidelines as closely as possible.
- Purpose
- Materials are placed on reserve:
- at the request of UMC faculty members to support the academic programs of the various departments, and
- by library staff to control or protect vulnerable materials or those in consistently heavy use.
- The goal is to provide controlled access to heavily used and/or easily damaged materials.
- Location
- The primary reserve collection for both graduates and undergraduates is at the Reserve Desk of Ellis Library.
- In addition, each branch library provides reserve services for the departments, school or college for which it has primary responsibility.
- Multiple locations of reserves for a single course are not recommended, but are permitted where necessary.
- Unless needed for reserve in the owning library, circulating books will be lent to other UMC Libraries for reserve use. If two locations need the same item, the owning library has first priority for the material.
- Identification/Selection of Titles
- Letters requesting reserve lists are sent out by the Libraries at least six weeks prior to each semester.
- Reserve requests should be submitted to area or branch librarians at least four weeks before the first day of classes if reserve materials are to be ready for use at the beginning of the semester. If items have to be ordered additional delays should be expected.
- A minimum of three working days is required to place material on reserve.
- Materials are placed on reserve at the request of faculty members and/or graduate teaching assistants.
- While the recommendations of faculty members are sought and considered, the Head of the Reserve Unit, in consultation with the area or branch librarians, has the final responsibility for the number of copies placed on reserve, for determining the loan period, when an item is requested by more than one faculty member, for changing loan periods due to changing patterns of usage, and for removal of materials for reserve.
- The following types of materials are to be accepted for reserve: cataloged books, photoduplicated articles, manuscripts and photocopies of manuscripts, computer printouts, software, government documents, exams, and selected University publications.
- Personal copies of books and other materials may also be accepted for reserve, but with the understanding that these materials are placed on reserve at the owner’s risk and will be physically processed for use by students as well as by other library patrons.
- The following types of materials will generally not be accepted for reserve: materials from Special Collections, reference work, current or bound periodicals. However, certain reference materials in heavy demand which require better in-house circulation control than can be provided at the reference desks may be placed on reserve by reference or area librarians.
- Material may be released from reserve for a specific need providing permission is obtained directly from the faculty member who reserved the material or by the appropriate area or branch librarian, in consultation with the reserve supervisor.
- Photo Duplication
- Faculty members are responsible for providing the Libraries with photocopies of items to place on reserve.
- Each photocopied item will be stamped with a copyright statement, name of owner, and class.
- For Library guidelines regarding number of photocopies to be placed on Reserve, see Policy No. 8 (Copyright) in the Libraries’ Library Policy Manual.
Acquisition/Processing And Deselection
- Processing of materials for reserve use is to be done on a first priority (i.e. RUSH) basis throughout all phases of the operation.
- Books borrowed from another UMC library may be ordered if these is a continuing need for those books on reserve.
- If an item requested is not owned by the Libraries, or is not otherwise available for reserve use, this fact will be reported to the faculty requesting the items and a “RUSH” order will be automatically placed.
- Multiple copies of books may be purchased for Reserve to meet the need of large classes.
- The Libraries may occasionally acquire, or have in its collections, books which are required as “textbooks” for a particular course. Although copies which are already owned may be placed on reserve, textbooks are normally not purchased by the Libraries.
- If an item is out of print, the faculty members will be notified of this fact.
- Materials will be removed from reserve as soon as possible after the end of the last semester noted in the initial request, unless renewed by a faculty member or graduate assistant, or if continued use by other classes is anticipated.
- Loan Periods
- There are three loan periods: two-hour, one-day, and three-day. Advice of faculty is sought in setting the loan period for each title on reserve. In the absence of other advice, a two-hour loan will be assigned. If more than one professor requests a given item, it will be placed on the shortest loan period requested.
- Two-Hour Reserve - Only those books which all members of a class are required to use heavily throughout the semester or simultaneously for a shorter period should be placed on two-hour reserve.
- One-Day and Three-Day Reserve - If a book is recommended but not required, or if it will not receive concentrated use during the semester, it should be placed on one-day or three-day reserve. However, it is recommended that only required, not suggested, readings be placed on reserve.
- Overnight Loans - Two-hour loan materials may be checked out during the last two hours before closing time, and are due one hour after opening the following day.
- Renewal of heavily-used reserve materials will be restricted during periods of peak use. (The supervisor on duty at the Reserve Desk has authority to restrict the number of times a reserve item is checked out to an individual or group of individuals when it is needed by others and when it appears that the intent is to monopolize the item and prevent access by others.)
- Eligibility
- A validated UMC ID is required to consult course reserve materials. A library-issued special borrower card may be used to consult permanent reserve materials.
- A borrower may generally take only two reserve items at any one time.
- A borrower may not use another person’s ID card.
- Fines and Penalties
- Two-hour and one-day materials: $1.00 per hour, maximum fine $10.00 per item.
- Three-day materials: $1.00 per day, maximum $10.00
- Reserve library materials which are lost or damaged are subject to the regular Library policy on lost materials.
- Personal copies of books and other materials are placed on reserve at the owner’s risk. The Libraries will not replace such materials which are lost or damaged while on reserve, nor in accordance with the confidentiality of library records may it reveal names of borrowers responsible for the loss or damage.
- In extraordinary cases, the Head of Circulation may suspend a borrower’s general library privileges until overdue reserve materials are reserved.
Sponsored by Marsha Stevenson
Submitted to Library Council: July 18, 1985
Approved by Library Council: February 27, 1986
Approved by Director of Libraries: February 27, 1986
Revised by Library Council: March 7, 1991
