Re: textbooks on library reserve

Rob Kasunic <rkasunic[_at_]kasunic.com> has written:
>
> Why did commercial copy centers begin producing anthologies? Because
> they could save the students the time of photocopying each of these
> reserve readings and do so at a fraction of the price that it cost
> students to photocopy in the nonprofit library self service machines.
> Many small commercial copy centers cannot understand why university
> libraries do not have to obtain permission for their reserve
> operations when these libraries self service machines cost
> substantially more than "for profit" copy centers.

     There seems to be some assumption here that university library reserve operations involve copying. The reserve room allows a faculty member to place a resource available in the library which all class members are expected to read in a different circulation status than normal, so that one member will not check it out for for the normal period and thereby deny access to the rest of the class. It is perfectly possible for class members to read the item in the library and return it the same day. Many do. It is usually possible, late in the day, to check out the material overnight if it is returned early the next day. This is often done.

     I would not claim for a moment that copying of such material does not take place, but it purely at the disgression of the student, who has other options provided by the reserve policy for reading the material.

     The rubber is going to hit the road when electronic reserve permits class members to view such materials on the net. This is vital to support distance education efforts that are growing rapidly in Universities, but the law seems far less clear to me in this area.

Bert R. Boyce, Professor & Dean
School of Library & Information Science
Louisiana State University
267 Coates Hall
Baton Rouge, LA 70803

     (504)388-3158
FAX: (504)388-4581
LSBOYC[_at_]LSUVM.sncc.lsu.edu Received on Fri Oct 17 1997 - 13:22:06 GMT