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Let's Get Physical: Course Reserves and a Communal Space for Creative Practice Research

Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This case study explores the development of an alternative course reserve system for senior art students at a small, private research university in the southern United States. The library's standard reserves practice is e-preferred, offering digital access to required texts through Canvas. Physical books on reserve are on the first floor, near the main circulation desk, and are restricted to two-hour, in-library use only. The Fine Arts Library is located on the third floor and no longer has a service desk, removed in a 2019 renovation. The physical distance between the fine arts collection and the physical reserves shelf, and the e-preferred reserve policy are impractical in meeting the needs of faculty and students hoping to engage with fine arts materials in a dedicated space. Furthermore, students in art-related disciplines have provided feedback that the Fine Arts Library does not feel like "their" space, as it is often full of students from other disciplines studying. The current floor maps also designate a large portion of the Fine Arts Library as a quiet study zone, which is antithetical to the faculty's and Art Librarian's hope to encourage social and communicative engagement with the collection. In Fall 2024, four Art faculty approached the Art Librarian to create a physical reserves display in the Fine Arts Library. Their goal was to provide students with hands-on access to contemporary art texts in a social space that encourages creative exploration. To address logistical challenges such as managing book circulation without a service desk and preventing the items from being reshelved, the Art Librarian collaborated with the Access Services Associate to identify creative solutions. The project included modifying item policies, creating custom wrappers for the books, and designing a visually prominent, accessible display area using underutilized space where the former service desk once stood. This presentation outlines the unique spatial and logistical considerations involved in establishing a decentralized reserve system, strategies for maintaining collection integrity, and the role of space in supporting research for creative disciplines. Also included is a discussion of the pilot project's successes, challenges, and potential for adaptation in other settings.
DOI: 10.17613/wb308-4tq80
Authors: Ostrach, K. Sarah, Hernández Galván, Martha
Institution: Rice University
Language: English
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W6962797300
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