Guidelines for Library Reserves

Library reserves, also called academic reserves, are materials set aside by instructors for use by students in the library.

The purpose of the reserve collection is to provide increased availability of course materials for students. Instructors can place their personal textbooks, media items, and articles on reserve for limited checkout times.

All of these items must be compliant with the library reserve guidelines and the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. Library owned items may also be placed on reserve. Reserves are kept behind the circulation desk. They are searchable by title, course number, or instructor name.

Reserve guidelines

Materials must be acceptable under the Chemeketa Library reserve guidelines and the Copyright Revision Act of 1976 before being placed in the collection. According to Fair Use, the following factors must be considered when duplicating materials for reserve:

  1. Type of Use: This includes whether the work was copied for nonprofit educational use, or for commercial benefit.
  2. Nature of the Copyrighted Work: Including the amount of creativity that went into the original work.
  3. Amount and Substantiality: The size of the portion used in relation to the work as a whole.
  4. Market Effect: How much of an effect the copies will have on the potential market of the copyright owner. Copying to avoid purchase of a work is a violation of fair use.

It is the responsibility of the instructor to obtain permission from the publisher of copyright protected materials. Once permission is granted, a copy of the letter of permission must be given to the library along with the reserve item. The following links will take you to Sharepoint for additional information concerning copyright law.

For information on copyright for Chemeketa employees, including sample permission letters, see the
Chemeketa Copyright Manual
Additional resources are available on the
Copyright Documents Page

Guidelines to follow when placing items on reserve

  • The following items may be placed on reserve without copyright permission:
    • Instructor's original work, including: videos of lectures, course notes and tests.
    • Textbooks.
    • Journals and periodicals.
    • Commercially produced videotapes, DVD's, CD's and cassettes.
    • Library owned materials.
    • United States Government publications.
  • A single photocopy of a journal article may be placed on reserve for one term only. After that time, publisher permission must be provided in order for the article to remain on reserve. The initial term is intended to allow the instructor time to request permission from the publisher.
  • A single photocopy of a book chapter may be placed on reserve for one term only. Multiple chapters from one text are not acceptable. After one term, publisher permission must be obtained. Publisher permission is not necessary to place the entire book on reserve, so this is often preferable.
  • Photocopies of works that are considered to be "consumable" and are commercially published, such as workbooks and solutions manuals, are not acceptable without publisher permission.
  • All photocopies must be accompanied by a full citation, or a copy of the title page of the journal or text which the photocopy was taken from.
  • Instructors must obtain written permission from students before submitting student papers or other work for reserve.
  • Non-commercial videotapes taped off the air by the instructor are not acceptable without publisher permission. However, it is possible to have acceptable copies made by the college - please contact Library Media at 399-2550 to arrange for this.
  • Interlibrary loan materials and items borrowed from other libraries are not acceptable for reserve.

Placing materials on reserve

Instructors may place items on reserve at any time by bringing the materials to the reserve desk and filling out a short form. This form is also available on the library's Faculty Resources Page. It is important to fill out the form completely, as any omissions may cause delays. Reserves are handled in order of receipt. Please allow a minimum of two days for processing.

Materials may be placed on reserve for the following check-out periods: 2 hours (these items are not allowed to leave the library), 4 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours, 1 week, two weeks, and when necessary, 1 term.

Reserves will be reviewed by library staff at the end of each term, instructors will be contacted, and reserve items will be either extended for an additional term or sent back to the instructor. The instructor who originally submitted the items may make changes to their reserves or have them taken off reserve at any time.

All reserve items will be given barcodes, security strips, and call numbers. A certain amount of wear can be expected.

Disclaimer: The Chemeketa library is not responsible for damaged, missing, and/or lost personal or departmental copies while on reserve, though we make every effort to secure all materials. If a personal or departmental copy is lost or damaged, the faculty contact will be notified and asked to make a decision to replace or withdraw the item from reserve. If the library is able to collect fees for the damaged or lost property, the faculty member or department will be reimbursed as appropriate.

For information on electronic reserves, please call 503.399.5156 or email Reserves.