Peer Reference Assistants Training Guide

Course Reserves are classroom materials that instructors make available at the library for students to borrow for limited periods of time.

These materials can include books, articles, videos, music CDs, and photocopies. Instructors can place both physical and electronic materials on reserve. Physical materials are housed at the Check Out/Reserves Desk. Electronic materials will be accessed online in Brightspace (or whatever course management system the professor is using).

1. Search the Course Reserves System

• First, use the course reserves system to check to see if materials have been put on reserve for a class. The page is also linked from the library's homepage.
• Search by Course Number (CHE 333, MUS 112, etc.), instructor last name, or book title.
• Once you've found the needed item, give the student the call number. They will need either the call number or instructor's name to borrow the item at the Check Out/Reserves Desk.
• If you did not find the item, move on to search the catalog.

2. Search the Catalog

• The library generally does not buy textbooks, and does not have access to the textbooks in every course. Sometimes, however, the library may own an older edition of a book used in a course.
• Search by title using the main search box on the library's homepage.  Use the pull down menu to search All Books.
• If the library owns an older edition, suggest the student share this with their professor to check to see if the older edition would be appropriate. Give the student the call number.
• It is possible that you will not always find course materials even after searching the catalog and the course reserves system. Unfortunately, the library is not able to buy every textbook and not every professor is able to make course materials available for reserve.