We make every effort to help you get access to your required texts with our course reserves program. Books and media that are "on reserve" may be borrowed for short periods, usually three hours. This allows all students in a class as much access as possible to the library's copy. We sometimes have only one copy of a required textbook, but larger classes may have several copies available. In some cases, ebooks are available.
To borrow something on reserve, please come to the service desk. We'll ask you for your class and/or professor, the title of the book, and your ID card or ID number.
Browse current reserve lists by course or by instructor. Reserve lists are a good way to check if an item is available right now.
More information about textbooks on campus
Please note that Watzek books and media that are not on reserve may be borrowed for twelve weeks.
The single most important tool for finding books, articles, and media through the library is Primo, the library's catalog. Your results will include print books, ebooks, electronic articles, streaming film and music, DVDs, CDs, and more. Primo is the best way to search the Watzek collection as a whole, and to discover items that you can request from other libraries.
Watzek books and media can be borrowed for twelve weeks at a time. (Books and media that are on reserve are available for much shorter periods—usually three hours.)
To check out an item, bring it to the service desk along with either your ID card or ID number. You may also request Watzek items through Primo and have them delivered to the desk. Please note that requested items will not be available for pick-up immediately; you'll receive an automated email when they are ready for you.
When Watzek doesn't have the resources you are looking for, we can almost always help you get them. We belong to a network of regional libraries that share books and media through a service called Summit. Summit items may be borrowed for twelve weeks, and sometimes can be renewed. They will appear in Primo as long as you have not restricted your results to Lewis & Clark items only.
Interlibrary loan makes it possible to get access to articles we don't have immediate access to, as well as books that are not available through Summit. Please get in touch with library staff at the desk or at librarian@lclark.edu for help using interlibrary loan.
Apart from course reserves, many items may be renewed as long as they have not been requested by another person. You can renew items online through your account in Primo, the library’s catalog, or by coming to the service desk.
In addition to the all-purpose Primo, Watzek also subscribes to about 200 databases that allow you to search within more specialized fields. Research guides that correspond to college departments and programs can help you locate the most pertinent database for research in a particular subject.
Watzek welcomes your suggestions for items to add to the collection.