Course Reserves Services

Loan Periods

The loan period for all circulating Course Reserves materials at Pattee Library is two hours. In addition, Closed Reserve items must remain in the Reserve Reading Room. Items available on the open shelves in the Reserve Reading Room may be checked out overnight if borrowed within two hours of closing. Overnight loans are due within one hour of opening (9AM on Saturdays, noon on Sundays during regular hours) the next day. Items on Closed Reserve are not available for overnight loan.

Please note: Course Reserves materials must be returned to the same service desk from which they were borrowed. Items returned to another desk or library may accrue overdue fees while in transit to their original location.

Overdue Fees

Fees for overdue Course Reserves materials are assessed at the rate of $1/hour for each hour overdue, including overnight, to a possible maximum of $100. For unreturned material, additional replacement and processing fees may also be assessed.

Patrons who do not return items within 48 hours of the date/time due will be billed for replacement costs and processing fees for each item overdue. Replacement and processing fees are charged in addition to any overdue fees.

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 or personal copies of the requested items to the Reserves 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 accomodated during regular office hours.

Please note: Processing times are approximate and will vary depending on the time of the semester, the amount and availablility 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.

Course Reserves Services
113 West Pattee Library
(814) 863-0324

Course Reserves Contacts at All University Libraries Locations