What is Physical Book Course Reserves?

Upon request, the LRC will place physical books on hold at the LRC Circulation Desk. Books placed on hold for course reserves:

• May only be used in the LRC during business hours
• May not be checked out to a user, taken home, or taken outside the LRC

The purpose of placing physical books on reserve in the LRC is to limit the amount of time any single student can use that copy of the book. This increases the chance that more students will be able to share the same copy of the book.

How do I request that a book be placed on physical course reserve?

Contact the LRC. Click Contact Us at the top of any LRC webpage and then click the Ask LRC Staff button to submit a ticket. Or, email us at lrc.services@usuhs.edu. We need:

• Instructor name(s)
• Course name and title
• Course start and end date
• List of book(s)

When should I request that a book be placed on physical course reserve?

For books already owned by the LRC -- or books you own which are are willing to put on reserve in the LRC for the duration of the course -- we recommend contacting the LRC at least one week before the start date of the course.

For books the LRC does not own, we will try to purchase a copy to add to the LRC collection -- and then place it on reserve. In this case, we recommend contacting the LRC at least two months before the start date of the course.

• For courses that begin in late summer or the fall, we recommend contacting us by June. Due to the fiscal year turnover, each year the LRC is generally unable to make any purchases between early August and early October.

How does a student use a book that is on physical course reserve?

A student who wishes to use a book that is on physical course reserve must come to the LRC and speak with LRC staff at the Circulation Desk. LRC staff will issue a "same day checkout" for the book. The student will be able to use the book for the rest of that same day, but must return the book to the LRC Circulation Desk by closing time. 

What books can be placed on physical course reserve?

Only books that are part of the LRC collection (i.e. owned by the LRC) or books that are owned by a USU faculty member or department can be placed on physical course reserves.

Can books borrowed via interlibrary loan (ILL) be placed on physical course reserve?

No. Entire physical books borrowed via interlibrary loan (ILL) are intended for the use of the sole borrowing patron. 

However, up to one chapter or 10% of the contents of the book may be scanned and put on Electronic Course Reserve. 

What happens to a book that is placed on physical course reserve?

Physical books owned by the LRC are taken from their regular section (e.g. General books) and temporarily reassigned to a "Course Reserve" status. As with all other books in the LRC collection, these items will still be findable in PowERsearch, and they will be labeled as course reserve items accordingly.

Physical books owned by a faculty member -- and temporarily given to the LRC for the duration of the course -- will have a barcode sticker (non-removable) affixed to the inside of the book. A book strap (removable) will be affixed to the outside of the book to identify it as a course reserve item.

All books on physical course reserve -- owned by the LRC and owned by faculty -- will be stored on a hold shelf at the LRC Circulation Desk by the LRC entrance (USU Bldg D).

At the conclusion of the course, books owned by the LRC will be moved back to their regular section in the LRC collections. Books owned by a faculty member will be returned to the faculty member. (The book strap will be removed, but the barcode sticker cannot be removed.)