What is the difference between circulation, reference and reserves in the library?
Answer
The differences are as follows:
- Circulating materials can be checked out (borrowed) and taken out for several weeks. They are the books and DVDs you find on the shelves within the library. You can checkout items at the circulation desk on the second floor with you student ID card. This service is free.
- Reference materials stay in the library for use and generally cannot be checked out. They remain in the library because they are sometimes one-of-a-kind, expensive and difficult to replace. For example: a multi-volume encyclopedia set or bound master's theses. They are called reference because they are consulted to find specific information and not read cover-to-cover. The reference area is located on the first floor between the printer and the interior staircase.
- Reserves are materials set aside at the request of professors and made available to students in a particular class. Since all students in the class will need access to the items, they have to stay in the library and usually can only be checked out for three-hour periods. Reserves are kept behind the checkout desk on the second floor. eReserves are electronic equivalents of books or articles that can be embedded in eClass.