Faculty Services: Course Reserves

To put items on Course Reserves complete the E-Reserves Request Form. You may also complete the PDF version and email it as an attachment to loans@worcester.edu. Forms may also be dropped off in person or sent to the Library Reserve Desk through Campus Mail.

The Reserve Desk is part of Access Services and is located at the Circulation Desk in the Learning Resources Center (LRC) in the second floor lobby. The Reserves Collection contains material designated by University faculty as high-use or required readings for specific courses. A small number of items unrelated to specific courses are also located on Permanent Reserve.

Contact Information

• Reserves are available anytime during the Library's normal operating hours.
• The Circulation Staff can be reached at (508) 929-8524 or by e-mail at loans@worcester.edu

Borrowing Procedures

Students are required to present a valid WSU OneCard ID in order to use any item on Reserve. Since all reserve items must be checked out through our automated circulation system, we cannot accept any other form of identification. No exceptions can be made. Please inform students in your classes of this policy so that they come to the Library prepared to check out your material from Reserves. 

All students are entitled to obtain a free WSU OneCard ID, even if they are only taking one course. For more information about the ID card, please visit the university OneCard site. 

How to Find Materials on Reserve

Items on Reserve are listed on the Library E-Reserves page. Items are listed by department, course title and instructor. Materials on each list are arranged alphabetically by title. 

Material will be placed on reserve within 72 hours after receipt from the faculty member.

• We request that faculty members please do not assign any readings until you have been notified that the material is available on Reserve. We cannot give students any material that has not been processed. 
• A valid WSU OneCard ID is required for use of reserve materials - no other form of identification will be accepted. Please inform your students before sending them to the Library.  No exceptions can be made to this policy.

Restrictions

• Faculty members assume responsibility for any infringement of the U.S. Copyright laws. The Library staff will not place items on Reserve that we know to be a violation of the laws, including books from other libraries.

• We will not place on reserve items owned by rental agencies (i.e. Blockbuster) or bootleg copies of personally copied videos as this is a clear violation of the Copyright laws of the United States.

• Faculty members placing personal copies on Reserve do so at their own risk. The Library staff cannot be responsible for loss or damage to personal copies on Reserve.

• Library copies of journals are not generally placed on Reserve as we prefer photocopies to be submitted instead. However, in the interest of preserving a journal issue, we will place an entire journal issue on Reserve for short-term assignments.

• Faculty members must fill out a standard request form for all materials to be placed on Reserve. We cannot accept requests via phone or fax.
• There is a limit of 3 copies of any one item to be placed on Reserve.  

Non-Print (media) Reserves

Non-print items such as videos, DVDs and audio compact discs placed on Reserve are housed in the IMS (Instructional Media Services) in room L-207, down the corridor from the Circulation Desk. There are 3 individual viewing stations for DVD/VHS items plus one large screen setup for group viewing.  

A valid WSU OneCard ID is required for use of the non-print reserves - no other form of identification will be accepted. No exceptions can be made to this policy.

Loan Periods

Loan periods are determined by the faculty member who placed the material on Reserve. Available options are:

• 2 Hour Reserves may not be taken out of the Library.
• 24 hour Reserves may be taken out at any time and are due within the next 24 hours.
• 72 Hour Reserves (3 day) may be taken out at any time and are due within the next 72 hours.

Overdue items

The fine for all overdue Reserve material is 50¢ per HOUR. There is no maximum for overdue fines from the Reserves Desk. Students should be aware that fines can quickly mount up on reserve items, especially those taken out of the Library.

Confidentiality  of Borrowing Information (Library Privacy)

The Circulation Department & Reserve Desk of the Worcester State University Library recognize and respect the privacy of its patrons, whether students, faculty, staff, administrators, alumni or other borrowers. In a library setting, a user's right to privacy includes the freedom to inquire about any information without having  their records open to others. Records are maintained solely for the purpose of protecting the material in the Library's collections. Unless fines or other exceptions occur, when a borrowed item is returned to us, all records are cleared and no history is maintained, either by item or by borrower. 

Furthermore, it is Library policy that we do not give out any information about patrons or the materials they have checked out or materials consulted. Law prohibits the staff from giving out any information regarding a person's library account to ANY other person regardless of their status or identity, without a subpoena, search warrant, or court order.  

The Library at Worcester State University supports and adheres to the American Library Association's "Policy on the Confidentiality of Library Records." adopted January 20, 1971 and revised July 4, 1975, and July 2, 1986.