Course Reserves

Helmke Library offers physical reserves for courses with the following stipulations:

• Reserves must be in conjunction with a Purdue Fort Wayne course.
• Requests must be made by the course instructor or a departmental representative.
• No more than 20 items may be requested per course, per semester. If you feel more items are necessary, please contact your liaison librarian.
• One item may be requested per reserve request form. Multiple items on reserve will require multiple submissions of the request form.
• Reserve items must not contain chemical or liquid components.
• Requests will be processed in the order received. Please allow up to 2 weeks for processing. For items we do not own, the two-week processing time begins once we have received the item(s).
• Helmke Library does not verify enrollment in a course before lending materials on reserve; materials are loaned to students based on request.
• Helmke Library cannot guarantee reserve items will be returned from loan in a timely fashion or in the same condition in which they were loaned. If the reserve item is fragile, rare, difficult to replace, or holds sentimental value, please discuss alternatives with your liaison librarian.
• Requests do not roll over from semester to semester automatically. You will need to submit a new request form each semester for each title you intend to have on reserve.
• Usage or reproduction of any item placed on reserve must meet fair use guidelines.  Please see our Copyright guide for more information.

Please complete the Reserve Request Form at least two weeks prior to the date you wish the material(s) available.

Course reserves are additional materials an instructor sets aside to be available for their class. These materials may be supplemental readings, the course textbook, a DVD or CD, or even a piece of equipment. Students come to the first floor service desk and request access to the item, and the service desk employee retrieves it and checks the material out to the student using their Mastodon ID Card. Once the loan period has ended or the student has finished with the material, they return it to the service desk.

To put material on reserve, the instructor or their proxy must complete the Reserve Request Form at least two weeks prior the date they want the material(s) available to students. The material(s) can be part of the library’s collection or from the instructor or department’s collection. You must complete the form for each item you want on reserve.

We require two weeks processing time for reserve requests; processing time begins once we have the request and the required materials in house. If the instructor or department is providing the material(s), each item must be received with a printed copy of the request form confirmation email.

The library may also purchase books and materials for reserve that are not currently in our catalog. Requests for purchase should be routed through the department’s liaison librarian. Please note: due to safety concerns, we recommend instructors discuss digital alternatives for physical reserves during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Items borrowed through interlibrary loan cannot be put on reserve.

Instructors have the option of submitting their own personal material(s) for reserve. To ensure that these items are returned to you, all materials should be marked with the instructor's name and department.

Although the Library Staff takes every precaution to ensure the good condition of personal copies, there is a risk involved with loaning personal materials. We cannot guarantee material(s) will end their time on reserve in the same condition they began. There is also the possibility a student will lose the material(s), or check material out and never return it. In this case, the library will notify you that the item is not available for other students, and we will make every effort to encourage the student to return the item. The library is not responsible for purchasing a replacement of your personal material(s), nor is it responsible for any damages.

The Reserve Request Form must be completed prior to materials arriving in the library for reserve.

Personal copies will be available for pick up at the end of each semester or by arrangement.

Helmke Library makes every effort to meet instructor needs with course reserves, but we must place a limit of no more than 20 items on reserve per course, per semester. If you feel you need more than 20 items on reserve for a single course, please contact your liaison librarian. We will review requests for additional reserve items on a case-by-case basis.

Please keep in mind, the library has alternate options available that may meet your needs more appropriately and conveniently than placing items on reserve. For example, we can create an online course reading list or LibGuide that links titles directly to our catalog, allows students to see if a specific title is available, and place it on hold for them to pick up.

Need help digitizing materials to use in your course?  Our Digital Initiatives Lab can assist you with navigating the copyright and technical requirements.