What are Course Reserves?

Course reserves are either materials (books, DVDs, scores, etc.) that instructors have set aside for students in their courses to use for a limited amount of time so they may all have access to them, or electronic resources (articles, chapters, or audio) selected by faculty for their students to access online.

Searching Course Reserves

Be sure to log in to your library account before searching course reserves to ensure access to reserve materials.

Instructors: Placing Materials on Reserve

Electronic Reserves (articles, book chapters, etc.)

Instructors may bring a printed copy of an article or selection from a book to be scanned for electronic reserves to the Circulation Desk along with a completed white reserve card for each item (access the fillable and printable PDF version here). If the article has been previously used, you need only bring in the white card. If the article can be linked from an electronic database, instructors may submit this form for articles that are in a library database, or bring a completed white reserve card with full citation information to the Circulation Desk.  Note that it can take up to two weeks to get articles online due to seeking permission and following copyright compliance.

Electronic Music Reserves

Faculty are encouraged to use the library's paid streaming media subscriptions, such as Naxos Music Library, for electronic music reserves. A complete list is available on the Music Electronic Resources page. If you have any question please contact Antoinette at 920-832-6995 (x6995 on campus) or via email.

Physical Reserves: Books, DVDs, and Scores, other Materials

Reserve materials are kept securely behind the circulation desk and may be requested from a circulation worker by title and class number. Materials MUST be checked out to be used. Instructors designate reserve loan periods of one hour, two hours, one day or three days. Permanent reserve materials provided by academic departments and organizations are kept near the circulation desk. Personal items will be cataloged and receive barcodes and magnetic detection strips. The circulation staff will try to place materials on reserve within 24 hours of receiving them. However, during busy times, such as the first week of classes, this may not be possible. Please keep this in mind when assigning reserve readings to your students.

How to Place Items on Physical Reserve:

  • In-Person Option: Fill out blue cards, available at the circulation desk or access the PDF version here, for each item and bring the items and cards (or printed out PDF version) to the circulation desk.
  • Digital Form Option: Fill out the Reserve Request form in place of filling out blue cards and to request to have items pulled from the library shelves. This form may also be used when you plan to bring personal items to be placed on reserve. This form does extend the wait time until your course reserves will be available to your students to approximately two business days.

What Cannot Be Put on Reserve?

Under no circumstance will the library place on reserve a professor-created anthology or course pack of readings, unless the anthology has been created with the permission of the copyright holders or the materials are no longer subject to copyright law. Anthologies may also be defined as video or audio clips from various copyrighted works placed on one file/disc/etc.

Reserve Usage Policies

  • The basis for our reserve system is the Lawrence University Honor Code, which applies to the misuse of library materials as well as to plagiarism and cheating. It states, in part, that a student shall not "in any way intentionally limit or impede the academic performance or intellectual pursuits of fellow students."
  • When checking out reserve materials you assume responsibility for them until their return to a circulation desk worker. Repeated late returns will constitute an Honor Code violation.
  • Two hour reserve materials normally must be used in the library. Some may be checked out for use outside the library only during the last half hour of the library day. Both overnight and three day books must be returned within the first half hour of the library day.
  • If unusual circumstances require that reserve materials be needed for a longer period, written permission should be obtained from the instructor.