RESERVES OPTIONS FOR INSTRUCTORS

With brief discussions of their advantages and disadvantages

 1. Traditional (“Paper”) reserves 

1A. Original items: Books, journals, and other items (both from the Library and from an instructor’s personal collection) can be placed on reserve.

The advantage of putting Library or personal material on reserves is that copyright permission is not needed—permission to lend an item is implicit in its ownership.

A disadvantage is that supply may be inadequate for demand.  Competition for a handful of physical items can result in lengthy delays as students wait for a classmate to return them. 

1B. Photocopies: Single or multiple photocopies of an article from a periodical, a passage from a book, or other item can be placed on reserve.

This option has the advantage of relatively high accessibility, especially if more than one copy is made available, but there still can be bottlenecks.

The main shortcoming of this option is that it may require copyright permissions, which can be time-consuming and expensive. Royalties are usually assessed per copy made, so multiple copies may be unaffordable. Students may borrow the material only when the library is open. 

2. Electronic Format Reserves 

2A. Electronic reserves (e-reserve or “e-res”):  a document is scanned and converted into an electronic format; the file is then placed in an instructor’s password-protected e-reserve class page.

The most significant advantages of this option are that students may gain access to the material at any time, from any place, so are not constrained by Library hours, and that it can support multiple simultaneous usages, so there is no competition for access to the material. Documents may be read on screen, reducing the need for printer paper.  E-reserves are very popular with students.

In some cases, it may be necessary to secure copyright for e-reserve items, since a (digital) reproduction is being made. Please note that copyright holders often charge higher royalties for electronically formatted reserve items. 

2B. Links: The electronic reserves system permits the creation of a hyperlink connecting an instructor’s course page to a web site or full-text article on an online database.

This option combines the accessibility of e-reserves (24/7, from any computer that has web access) with automatic copyright permissions (items on databases are accessible by subscription only, and so have already been paid for).  The only drawback is that not all material is available in electronic journal format or elsewhere on the Web. Instructors are encouraged to determine whether any of the proposed reserve items are available online in a full-text database. The Electronic Journals list, available on the library’s homepage (use the “E-Journals” quick link), is an excellent place to search for such material. Please contact the reference staff if you need assistance. The Library staff can create a link from a class’s e-reserve course page to almost any URL.

Note: Linking is by far the most desirable option, and the reserves staff recommends it whenever possible. Of course, it may not be possible; some materials simply are not available on line.  The reserves staff will be happy to assist instructors in deciding which reserves format to use.

Please be aware that most copyright licensing bodies distinguish between traditional and electronic reserves when calculating royalty payments and set different royalty fees for each.  Placing an item on both traditional and electronic reserve will likely require the payment of two separate royalty fees.  Because the Library’s budget for royalty fees is limited, the Library discourages instructors from placing an item on both electronic and traditional reserve, to avoid incurring unnecessary expense.  The Library will only provide financial support for purchasing permissions for one format.

3. Course Packs

In partnership with the Library, FedEx Kinko's can produce high-quality, professionally bound course packs to be sold to students at the FedEx Kinko’s Paw Prints facility located in the Library.  Because copyright permission must be obtained for all course pack items reproduced from copyrighted works, faculty are again encouraged to submit materials to be produced as course packs as early as possible.  Processing of course pack orders may require as much as five weeks.

The course pack service has several advantages, including the payment of the copyright fees by the actual users of the materials, being incorporated into the final price of the finished course pack.  Students appreciate the simplicity of having their course readings consolidated into one packet, and the course pack service will be of great benefit to instructors who have traditionally placed large volumes of material on Library reserve, and for those whose reserve lists constitute “required reading” for the class.  Faculty are cautioned, however, that once a course pack is produced, no “drop-in” readings can be added to that course pack.  In such a situation, Kinko’s can produce additional, standalone copies or the items can be placed on Library reserve. 

For further information on course packs, please contact Jason Hardin at ext. 8181.

 

Please refer any questions to Mary González, the library’s Copyrights and Reserves Manager, 999-8189; or Jason Hardin, Manager of (Library) Access Services, 999-8181.