Policies
Note: Some of the following information is specific to the Course Reserves services at the Pattee/Paterno Libraries. For information on the services provided elsewhere, please consult your library's Course Reserves page or contact the Course Reserves staff at your location.
Item Limits
The limit on items (physical and electronic reserves) that may be placed on reserve for a given course and instructor per semester is 35. Exceptions to this limit will be made for senior seminars, graduate courses, World Campus courses, and with the permission of the Reserves Coordinator. Please contact Chris Holobar for more information.
Processing Times
Reserve materials are processed as follows:
- Book reserves are processed in order of submission. For fastest processing, we encourage you to bring library and/or personal copies of the requested items to the Common Services Desk after completing the request form.
- Electronic reserves are processed according to the "need-by" dates provided by the instructor in the request form. Processing requires 3-4 days on average once the request and photocopies are submitted. Last-minute requests can usually be accommodated during regular office hours.
Please note: Processing times are approximate and will vary depending on the time of the semester, the amount and availability of materials, and other factors. Although we are committed to making Course Reserve materials available when needed, we cannot guarantee processing times.
"Permanent" Reserves
Only non-copyrighted materials such as exams or syllabi may be allowed to remain on electronic reserve indefinitely. All other physical and electronic materials, including materials owned by the University Libraries, will remain on reserve only during semesters when the course for which those materials were requested is in session. Please note that placing materials on reserve necessarily restricts the use of such materials by other patrons.
Archiving Electronic Reserves
Electronic reserves are archived during periods when a course is not in session, for as long as the instructor teaches at Penn State. Archived files are not available online, but may be made available for future use at the request of an instructor.
Please note that it is a violation of copyright guidelines to maintain access to copyrighted material during periods when a course is not in session.