Course Reserves: Information for Faculty

• To request that materials be placed on Course Reserve for a course, a GCC teaching faculty member, instructor, or academic department must complete a Course Reserve request form. 
• Electronic forms are preferred and may be submitted on the library's website.  However, paper forms are also available at all library circulation desks.
• Incomplete requests and requests containing inaccurate bibliographic citations for requested items will be returned to the requester.
• Reserve requests must be resubmitted each semester unless submitted for the full academic year. 
• The library is unable to accept e-mailed or printed lists or citations in lieu of a Course Reserves Request form.

The libraries will accept requests to place items on Course Reserve from:

• GCC teaching faculty and instructors
• GCC academic departments

 The libraries will loan Course Reserve materials to:

• GCC students (currently enrolled)
• GCC dual enrollment students (currently enrolled)
• GCC faculty and staff

Community patrons are NOT eligible to borrow Course Reserve materials due to the high use and high demand nature of these items.

The following materials are eligible to be placed on Course Reserve:

Library Owned Materials:

• Books
• Media (DVD, VHS, CDs)

Faculty/Instructor Personal Copies:

• Legally purchased copies of materials NOT owned by the GCC Libraries

The following materials are not eligible to be placed on Course Reserve:

• Homemade or reproduced VHS tapes, burned DVDs or CDs, and photocopied printed materials
• Course packs or works grouped together to comprise an anthology of works.
• Materials borrowed from other libraries through Interlibrary Loan, a personal library account, or borrowed through a lending service (such as Netflix).
• Media materials requiring equipment or software that is not owned or supported by the Library.
• Lab manuals
• Exercises or course assignments
• Standardized tests or course exams, test booklets or answer sheets
• Solution manuals

Textbooks may be placed on Course Reserve.  However, the library does NOT purchase textbooks for library collections, including Course Reserves.  In the event that the Library owns the requested textbook, the request will be processed as normal.  Faculty members may provide legally purchased personal copies of textbooks to be place on reserve for their course.

It is the policy of Germanna Community College Libraries to comply with U.S. Copyright Law (U.S. Code Title 17).  This policy addresses copyright in the sole context of Library services and Course Reserves.  Germanna Community College faculty, staff and students are responsible for understanding and adhering to copyright law as it applies to their individual academic endeavors. 

• Materials may not remain on Course Reserve indefinitely. 
• The Library reserves the right to refuse any materials deemed not to be in compliance with copyright laws and guidelines.

Course Reserves are subject to the following limits:

• One (1) copy of an item for every twelve (12) students in a class
• A maximum of three (3) copies of any individual item
• A limit of thirty (30) total print and media items per course
• Items may NOT remain on Course Reserve for more than three (3) consecutive semesters
• The library maintains the right to limit the amount of Course Reserves for a course or department as necessary

Materials may be checked out for the following loan periods, as indicated by the instructor placing the item(s) on Course Reserve:

Media: 4 hours (students: in-library use only, faculty/staff: 1 day loan)

Print: Instructors may select from the following loan periods: 

• 2 hours (students: in-library use only, faculty/staff: 1 day loan)
• 1 day
• 3 day
• 7 day

Course reserve materials are kept in a separate, closed stacks area at each library location.  Due to the high demand nature of these items, physical access to this collection is restricted to library employees.  Course Reserve materials are retrieved by library staff for patron use upon request.  The following guidelines should be followed when borrowing Course Reserve materials:

• A valid library card MUST be presented in order to check out Course Reserve materials, even for in-library use.
• No more than two (2) Course Reserve items may be checked out to a single borrower at one time.  (Exceptions: book sets or items comprised of several pieces that must be used together.)
• Course Reserves are available on a first come, first served basis.  Holds may not be placed on Course Reserve items for later use.
• Course Reserve materials are not eligible for immediate renewal.  To allow time for others to check out these materials, Reserve items may be re-checked out 30 minutes after the items are returned.
• All Course Reserve items should be returned to a library staff member at the Circulation Desk.  Course Reserve items should not be placed in the book return drop or left at the Circulation Desk unattended. 

Course Reserve requests are processed as quickly as possible.  Requests are processed in the order in which they are received.  Reserve Requests submitted at the last minute may not be available when desired. 

• Processing of reserve requests may take up to three (3) business days during peak Course Reserves times (the beginning of each semester). 
• During non-peak Course Reserve times, materials will be processed within two (2) business days.
• Requests submitted at least two (2) weeks prior to the start of the semester will be available by the first day of classes. 
• Requests submitted after this deadline will be processed as quickly as possible, but are not guaranteed to be available by the first day of classes.
• Requests submitted during the first two (2) weeks of each semester may require additional processing time due to an increased volume of requests.

Factors that may delay processing time include:

1. Incomplete Course Reserve Request forms
2. Incomplete or inaccurate bibliographic citations for requested items
3. Request forms submitted without accompanying materials (especially personally owned copies)
4. Untimely submission of Course Reserve Request and/or accompanying materials
5. Requested item is checked out to a patron when request is received.  The library will recall requested items that are checked out.  Recalled items will be processed as soon as possible after the item is returned to the library.