Library Services

The Course Reserve Collection is located at the Circulation Desk, which is staffed all hours that the library is open. Students must use reserve items in the library and will need an MCLA ID to borrow them.

What may be placed on reserve?   

• Print books or physical media (DVDs, etc.) owned by Freel Library 
• Personal copies of books or course packs supplied by instructors 

Items from other libraries may not be placed on reserve at MCLA. The library reserves the right to reject any item that, in its judgment, does not meet criteria for being placed on reserve.  

How do course reserves work for students?  

Students may borrow reserve items anytime the library is open by presenting their MCLA ID card at the circulation desk. By default, reserve items are available to students for short-term, in-library use only. The library is happy to work with faculty to accommodate other lending arrangements (e.g., 24 hour loan; semester loan) that would better suit your students’ needs. 

What if the library does not own an item I’d like to place on reserve? 

1. Personal copies: You may place your own copy of any commercially produced item on course reserve. Bring or send any personal copies that you wish to place on reserve to the Circulation Desk of the Freel Library, attn: Laura Dear. Please note: 
   • The library may affix barcodes and other labels to personal items.  
   • Faculty place personal copies of items on reserve at their own risk. The library will do its best to recover any unreturned items, but the library is not responsible for replacing lost or stolen items. 
   • Personal items will be returned to you via campus mail at the end of each semester. 
2. Purchase requests: You may request that the library purchase materials to add to the collection and place on your reserve shelf. Please allow 2-4 weeks or more for the library to order and process requested items. Note: Due to budget constraints, the library does not purchase new copies of traditional textbooks. Requests are subject to standard selection criteria. 

What about electronic items (ebooks, OER, streaming video, articles, etc.)? 

Faculty are encouraged to upload and/or link to electronic items directly from Canvas. Librarians are happy to consult on how best to provide access to any given item.  

If you have any questions about course reserves, please contact Laura Dear, Learning Resources Specialist, at x5340 or Laura-Lynn.Dear@mcla.edu.