In Brief: August 27

 Course Reserves provide students free use of textbooks.

Each year, many students spend more than $1,000 on textbooks for their classes. The University Libraries, through its Access Services, offers a free alternative to purchasing an expensive textbook. The Course Reserve service allows students to access some of their textbooks without having to buy them.

According to Gretchen Avery, reserve library associate, reserves are items identified by a professor and set aside at the library for students to use for their class. The materials may be textbooks, study guides or DVDs, among other possibilities.

During spring 2015, there were 549 items on course reserve, 137 BGSU Libraries books and 412 instructor-owned books that were circulated a total of 6,378 times. In order to allow all students the opportunity to access the materials, items are available for a limited checkout period, ranging from two hours to three days. The two-hour reserve books may be used anywhere in the library, but must stay in the building.

Dr. Lee Meserve, biology, has been offering course reserves to students in some of his classes for about 20 years. “A significant number of my students use it on a regular basis,” Meserve said. “These materials are easily accessed from the front desk in the library, which is now especially handy because of the close proximity to the Learning Commons.”

The library makes the process simple for faculty to utilize, Meserve added. “All that is necessary is to provide materials to access services, determine the term for the reserve and fill out minimal paperwork.”

Some extra funding was provided to purchase an additional 32 books in various disciplines for students to use, explained Avery. “We appreciate and rely on faculty who are generous about sharing their textbooks and other course materials. The students really benefit.”

For more information, contact Avery at 419-372-7980 or gavery@bgsu.edu.