Music Reserves FAQ

Music Course Reserves Frequently Asked Questions

How can I find Music course reserve materials?

Check in CLIO under "Course Reserve" and search by your instructor's name or course number.

What does the status and location information (listed in CLIO) mean?

"On Reserve" means the item is shelved on closed Reserve shelves behind the Music & Arts Library circulation desk in 701 Dodge. Request the item by filling out a slip at the circ. desk.
"Permanent Course Reserves (P.C.R.) " means that the item is restricted to in-library use during the 2-hour loan. Request the item by filling out a slip at the circ. desk.
"On Shelf" means the item is non-circulating, and is on the open shelves of the Music & Arts Library. Typically this applies to bound periodical volumes, Reference materials, and complete works scores, which are all non-circulating. Check on the normal library shelves for these items.
"Case" means the item is non-circulating, and use is restricted to designated areas of the Library. Photocopying is not permitted. Only patrons with valid CU IDs may access these materials, and requests must be handled by full-time staff. Consequently, access to these materials may not be available at all times, including some weekend hours. Request the itme by filling out a slip at the circ. desk.
"Reference" means that the item is shelved in the Reference area of the Library, located in the first 3 aisles shelving on your right as you enter the Library.
"On Reserve - Desk --" These Reserve items have been placed on a desk in the Library at the request of the instructor. The desks are numbered; check the side of the desk for the label. These items need only be checked out if you want to take them out of the library. Please do not remove the desk slips, and return items to the desk after photocopying. Any desk items which are checked out must be returned to the circulation desk for processing.
Still have questions? Check with the Music & Arts Library circulation desk or call 854-4711.

How can I tell if an item is currently checked out?

Check in CLIO, either in your instructor's reserve list, or in the general catalog. The due date and time will be indicated in the "status" line.

How do I request reserve materials?

Fill out a slip at the circulation desk in the Music & Arts Library, 701 Dodge.

How many reserve items may I check out at one time?

There is currently no limit to the number of items you may check out.

The reserve item I need is checked out. Can you place a Hold on it for me?

No, Holds are not offered on Reserve items. Items are available on a first-come, first-served basis as they are returned to the circulation desk in 701 Dodge.

For how long may I borrow reserve items?

Reserve items generally circulate for 2 hours, with some exceptions. Audio-visual materials, Permanent Course Reserves, personal copies, and some other materials are restricted to in-library use. Most printed materials are eligible or an overnight loan, starting 2 hours before the Library closes and due back 1 hour after opening on the following day. For information on a specific Reserve item, ask at the circulation desk in the Music & Arts Library, 701 Dodge.

Am I allowed to take reserve items out of the library?

Most printed materials may be taken out of the Library, with the most common exceptions being items on Permanent Course Reserves and personal copies. Audio-visual materials (sound recordings, videos, etc.) are restricted to in-library use (except for Officers, which typically means faculty). For information on a specific Reserve item, ask at the circulation desk in the Music & Arts Library, 701 Dodge.

Can I make copies of sound or video recordings?

No, the Library has no facilities for copying, and recording is not permitted.

The reserve item I've been assigned to read isn't listed under the Course Reserve tab in CLIO. Where is it?

There may be several reasons for this:

Your instructor may not yet have requested that the item be placed on Reserve.
The request to have the item placed on Reserve may have only recently been received by us, and the item has not yet been processed.
The item is on Permanent Course Reserve. Check in the Permanent Course Reserve notebook at the Music & Arts Library circulation desk, 701 Dodge, or online.

Where should I return Music & Arts Library reserve materials?

All Music Course Reserve materials MUST be returned to the circulation desk of the Music & Arts Library, 701 Dodge. At times the Library is closed, there is a drop box available to the left of the library entrance on the 7th floor of Dodge. Do not use the drop box to return reserve materials when the Library is open.

I've mistakenly returned a reserve item to another library. What should I do?

Contact a supervisor at the Music & Arts Library to inform them of the situation, at the circulation desk or by email at music@libraries.cul.columbia.edu. The item will remain checked out to you until it is returned to the Music & Arts Library. Fines will continue to accrue, and replacement charges will apply if the item is not received by us within 2-3 days. If you realize your mistake on the day you returned the item, you may want to check with the Library to which you mistakenly returned it, to see if you can retrieve it.

Is there an overnight loan for reserve items?

For Reserve items which are allowed to circulate outside the library, there is an overnight loan policy. Such items may be checked out beginning 2 hours before the library closes, and are due back one hour after the library opens the following day. Please note that the Music & Arts Library does not have any weekend loans for Reserve materials; items are due back on the morning of the following day. The only exceptions are days when the library is entirely closed, such as University Holidays. There is a drop box located to the left of the entrance to the library on the 7th floor of Dodge, which may be used if you need to return materials outside of the library's scheduled hours of operation.

What are the fines for overdue reserve items?

For ALL Reserve items, the fines are $1.00 per hour for each hour (or portion thereof) that the item is late. Fines accumulate continuously for 50 hours, or just over two days, at which point they max out. If the item is still overdue after the $50 maximum is reached, the item is considered lost, and $75 in replacement charges are added to the total. This $75 charge will be removed after the item is checked back in. If you have questions about your fines, ask for a supervisor at the Music & Arts Library circulation desk, or send an email to music@libraries.cul.columbia.edu.

Why are the fines so high and the loan periods so short?

The Reserve collection is small, and represents books in extremely high demand and with very frequent turnover. Often, a given book is only necessary for one class period, and all the students in the course require access to it in the space of just a few days. Patrons who keep Reserve items out past their due time are causing severe inconvenience to their classmates. The 2-hour loan and the overnight restriction are designed to allow the greatest possible access to the item in question. The prohibitive fines are meant to discourage patrons from denying their peers access to the material.