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Library Policies

Reserve Services Policy - Faculty

The Canisius University Library is happy to assist you in helping students to have access to materials for course work and research. One way in which we do this is to provide course reserve. Course reserve insures that the materials are available to all the students in your courses by limiting check out periods and access to the materials.

To assure availability of material prior to the start of classes, please provide ample time for processing. Lists are processed in the order received, no exceptions. Requests submitted during the first few weeks of classes may be delayed due to the large volume of reserve processing at the beginning of each semester. At all times, please give our staff at least 3 business days to process reserve items. At the end of the term, materials are taken off reserve and permanently deleted from the course reserve list.

Before making assignments, it is a good idea to check that the items are already on reserve. This can be done by searching for your last name (instructor's name) or course on the library’s website under “Search the Catalog for books, DVDs and more ....”

While the Copyright Act does not specifically address library reserves, standards do exist. These standards are based on the Copyright Act's fair use provision. When evaluating copyright requirements for library reserves weigh the fair use factors as they apply to your particular situation.

The American Library Association (ALA) has endorsed the following standards for sharing copyrighted material through paper-based reserves:

  1. The amount of material should be reasonable in relation to the total amount of material assigned for one term of a course, taking into account the nature of the course, its subject matter and level. See 17 U.S.C. § 107(1) and (3).
  2. The number of copies should be reasonable in light of the number of students enrolled, the difficulty and timing of assignments, and the number of other courses which may assign the same materials. See 17 U.S.C. § 107(1) and (3).
  3. The material should contain a notice of copyright. See 17 U.S.C. § 401.
  4. The effect of photocopying the material should not be detrimental to the market for the work. (In general, the library should own at least one copy of the work.) See 17 U.S.C. § 107(4).

What Should I Place On reserve?

It is important to place materials on reserve for your courses. Be sure to reserve any materials that your entire class will need to use or that may be used by more than one student. This includes textbooks, library books for assignments and movies that your students may view in class and may need to refer to later.

The standard loan period for reserve materials is two hours, in library use only.

Items placed on reserve must be library owned materials or legally purchased or produced personal copies. We cannot place materials borrowed from other libraries on reserve. Please contact Lisa Sullivan (sullival@canisius.edu, x8403) to ask us about purchasing a copy for our collection.

How do I set up a reserve list?

Just fill out the “Reserve Request” form at library.canisius.edu/request_reserve and we will retrieve the books and create your reserve list. Please include the titles of any personal copies you may be adding to the reserve and bring those materials to the desk. Be sure to fill out the form in its entirety including your name and the course number and name.

  • Books

Include Canisius University call numbers and the ISBN on the "Reserve Request" form. If you would like us to purchase a book for reserve, please give us ample time to do so. Usually, 2 weeks is required. Contact Lisa Sullvan, sullival@canisius.edu, x8403, to order a title

  • Personal Copies

We will place personal copies on reserve but cannot be responsible for loss or damage. Please be aware that we will have to place stickers on your materials in order to properly keep track of them.

  • DVDs

Include Canisius University call numbers on the "Reserve Request" form. If you would like us to purchase a DVD for reserve, please give us ample time to do so. Usually, at least 2 weeks is required. We will place personal DVDs on reserve but cannot be responsible for loss or damage. Please be aware that we will have to place stickers on your materials in order to properly keep track of them. Please be aware that we cannot place home recorded (bootleg) broadcast materials on reserve. If this is your only copy, please contact us about trying to purchase a legal copy for you. Contact Lisa Sullvan, sullival@canisius.edu, x8403, to order a title.

What if I want to take a reserve item out of the library?

If the item is on reserve for you and your class, you are the only person who has permission to remove the item from the library. If you are allowing another person to check out the item in your name or for personal use, we need to be told of this exception in writing. You can do this via email. Please direct those permissions to Matt Kochan (kochanm@canisius.edu).

What if the materials I wanted to use/place on reserve are out/on reserve for another class?

Every effort will be made to fulfill your request. If the item is on reserve, please contact Matt Kochan, kochanm@canisius.edu, x8416. We will find out if you can use the item or purchase another copy. This process can take time so please inform us of your request ASAP.

If the item you need is checked out, please notify a staff member and we will recall the item for you. Please be aware that just because we request a recall does not mean that the patron who has the item will bring it back in a timely fashion. Alternatively, we can attempt to purchase another copy of the book or DVD. Again, please be aware that this can take up to a month to receive and process the item. Contact Matt Kochan, kochanm@canisius.edu, x8416 for assistance.

What happens at the end of the semester?

All materials will be removed from course reserve at the end of the semester. Library owned materials are returned to circulation. Personal copies that are not picked up within one month of the last day of exams will be returned to your on campus address or department. If you would like them held on reserve for the following semester, please notify Matt Kochan (kochanm@canisius.edu or 716-888-8416) before the last day of classes.

Who do I contact if I need help?

Matt Kochan

716-888-8416

kochanm@canisius.edu

Copyright Guidelines

Canisius University adheres to copyright policies as laid out in the fair use guidelines of the United States Copyright Act of 1976. The law states:

Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976. Limitations on Exclusive Rights: Fair Use Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified in that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright. In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is fair use the factors to be considered shall include:

  1. the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes
  2. the nature of the copyrighted work
  3. the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole
  4. the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work

We cannot place photocopied or scanned copies of complete books and entire issues of journals will not be placed on reserve.

Electronic reserve materials are accessible only by instructor's name, course name, and course number. Users connecting from off-campus to the Libraries website using a commercial internet provider must identify themselves as a Canisius user by logging-in with their ID before they can access reserve materials. Electronic materials will be removed from reserve at the end of the term. We will not place materials, including electronic files or web pages, on reserve if the nature, scope, or extent of copying is judged to exceed limits of fair use.

In some cases, placing photocopied or scanned material on reserve may require copyright permission. Use of the same photocopied or scanned material in multiple courses or for successive years will generally require permission. The Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) offers an Academic Permission Service (APS) and can secure copyright permissions for faculty course packs or course handouts for a fee. Visit CCC Online (http://www.copyright.com) for more information.