How do I place materials on reserve for my class?

How to place an item on reserve

Please complete a Reserve Request Form (PDF), listing all items you will be placing on reserve. You can choose to place items on reserve for the following loan periods:

• 3 hours (library use only)
• 24 hours (items can be taken out of the library)
• 6 days

To guarantee that your materials are available for the beginning of the semester, submit them no later than two weeks before the first day of classes. Once the semester has begun, allow at least four days for processing.

Materials to be placed on e-reserve that are already in electronic format may be emailed to Julie Carter (carterja@whitman.edu). Materials to be scanned, or put on reserve in their original format, should be accompanied by a Reserve Request Form, brought to the circulation desk and given to the Circulation Supervisor on duty.

What can be put on reserve?

• Library books, videos, CDs, and DVDs Please gather together the library materials you would like on reserve for your courses. Reference books and periodicals do no circulate outside the library and are not normally placed on reserve.
• Books not owned by the library The Library will attempt to purchase books needed for reserve use. You may request them by contacting the Acquisitions Department. Please be sure to indicate that the item is for reserve, and provide the course number.
• Personal books, videos, CDs, and DVDs Personal copies may be placed on reserve if the Library does not own the item. Please mark these with your name. Note: Personal copies must be marked and barcoded for use with our circulation system. The Library cannot assume liability for materials that are worn, torn, mutilated, or stolen.
• Photocopies Faculty are responsible for providing clean, single-sided, unstapled photocopies. Photocopies must be accompanied by a Reserve Request Form and a full bibliographic citation. The Library subscribes to a number of databases that allow durable links to journal and newspaper articles. The Library will link to materials through library databases when possible.
• Required vs. Recommended Reading Space is limited on reserve shelves, so only those materials that are required reading, viewing, or listening for coursework are put on reserve. Items which are recommended but not required should not be placed on reserve.
• Summit and ILL materials will not be placed on reserve–no exceptions!
• Textbooks Textbooks will be placed on reserve only when the Bookstore has insufficient copies to meet demand and additional copies are on order.
• Items may not remain on reserve indefinitely. All items are removed from reserve at the end of each term.

View a Reserve List

You can view or search for your reserve lists on the Course Reserves page. As soon as items are placed on reserve, they will be available for check-out. It may take up to 48 hours before they appear in Sherlock.

Reserves and Copyright

Note that putting copies of articles or chapters on reserve may violate U.S. copyright laws. In some cases, faculty members should request permission from the publisher, who is usually the copyright holder. Addresses of the publisher are usually listed in the front of the copyrighted material. If you need help determining copyright owner or publisher address, please ask a librarian.

Permission should usually be requested in the following situations:

• The copyrighted material placed on Reserve is being used for more than one semester.
• If you wish to put more than a brief amount of copyrighted material on reserve.

Questions? Please contact Julie Carter (carterja@whitman.edu).