Before the start of each semester, the library reviews the list of course adoptions that faculty have reported to the campus Follett bookstore.
Please note: The library only purchases course materials for the collection when they fall within our Collection Development Guidelines. In general, traditional textbooks and many streaming videos fall outside of these guidelines.
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.
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.
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.
If you have any questions about course reserves, please contact Laura Dear, Learning Resources Specialist, at x5340 or Laura-Lynn.Dear@mcla.edu.
Traditional textbooks: The library typically does not purchase print copies of traditional textbooks due to a combination of high cost, relatively short shelf life, and limitations on access. In addition, publishers' terms of service prevent the library from sharing access codes. Faculty are welcome to place personal or departmental copies of textbooks on reserve; these will be returned at the end of each semester. The library also holds a textbook drive at the end of each semester and adds to the collection any donated textbooks that are being used in courses.
Academic and popular monographs: When cost and availability permit, the library normally purchases electronic editions of course texts. When print is the most suitable format (e.g., an ebook edition is either unavailable or cost-prohibitive, or the faculty member expresses a preference for print), we will purchase items in print, subject to normal collection development guidelines, and place them on reserve.
Videos: Cost-permitting, the library will acquire DVDs or perpetual/life-of-file licenses for films that are required viewing in MCLA courses. The library no longer purchases one- or three-year licenses for streaming videos but will work with faculty to identify options for access. The library subscribes to a substantial collection of academic videos, AVON, which can be used in and outside of the classroom. See Screening Videos in the Classroom for more information.