Class Reserves

Placing Materials on Reserve

Materials are accepted for course reserve Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m, Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.. Materials received after these times 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, etc.)

It is the responsibility of the instructor to be aware of current copyright law and to secure copyright permission if necessary. According to Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act, consideration of fair use should take into account:

the purpose and character of the use (commercial or nonprofit?)
nature of copyrighted work
amount of the portion to be used in relation to the whole
effect of its use on the potential market

For information on copyright please review WPI's Copyright Compliance information.

All photocopies must contain a complete citation and copyright information. 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.

WPI faculty should use the faculty course reserve request to place books owned by the library on reserve.

Personal materials will be accepted for reserve; however, the library cannot assume responsibility for personal items that disappear from the reserve shelf.

Instructors may request that the library order any materials needed for reserve which the library does not currently own by contacting Lora Brueck, Collection Management Librarian (lbrueck@wpi.edu or x5413). Please specify that the materials are for class reserve and for which term or semester they are needed. Please plan sufficient time for new orders to be received or processed.

The rush for class reserves happens at the beginning of each term. The earlier the lists are given to the library staff the sooner the materials will be available for each class.

Materials that we will accept for reserves include:

Instructor's copies of homework assignments, syllabus, lecture notes, problem solutions, sample exams, books or videotapes owned by the library or instructor's personal copy
material in the public domain
material for which the instructor has obtained copyright permission
material that falls under Fair Use:
- ex. one article from a journal
- ex. one or two chapters from a book

Materials that we will not accept for reserves include:

course packs
consumable works (workbooks, exercises, tests, answer sheets, etc.)
materials belonging to other institutions

Each item may be on reserve for only one term/semester. At the end of each term, instructors should come to the library to collect personal materials and photocopies that are no longer needed on reserve. If an item is to remain on reserve, copyright permission must be secured by the instructor and a notice of permission supplied to the library staff.

Use of Class Reserves

All class reserves are intended for use in-house for two hours. At the end of the two hours, the item may be charged out again for two more hours if no one else has requested it. Other circulation periods may be requested by the course instructor.

Library reserve materials that 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 the instructor would like this status blocked, please alert the Circulation Staff.

All overdue class reserves are fined at a rate of $.50 per hour 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 Class Reserves

Please give a copy of the course syllabus and reading list to the library staff if one is used. It frequently can make things easier for both students and the library staff.

If a specific book for an assignment is needed, even if this will only be a one-time task, the instructor should contact the library staff to have the book placed on reserve before making the assignment. Frequently, the first student to reach the library charges out the book, making it unavailable to other class members.

The library does not normally purchase textbooks for classes, unless requested by faculty and purchased with departmental funds. If these need to be available, please contact Lora Brueck (lbrueck@wpi.edu or x5413).

If you have any questions, please contact Ginny Julian, Access Services Associate (gjulian@wpi.edu or x5410) or Deborah Bockus, Manager, Access Services (dbockus@wpi.edu or x5230).

Maintained by lib-webmaster@wpi.edu
Last modified: May 12, 2008, 11:29 EDT