Due to the unprecedented challenge of COVID-19, IRSC Libraries have started a new online textbook reserve program in order to limit the spread of the virus but still provide resources necessary for student success. IRSC's textbook reserves are a highly utilized collection that enables students to check out a copy for in-library use.
In normal times, multiple students often check out the same title throughout the day, as they move between assignments or go to and from their classes. However, guidelines from the Northeast Document Conservation Center recommend at least three days quarantine between checkouts to limit virus spread, which makes this traditional model unwise for our students in this current environment.
In order to meet our student's needs, IRSC Libraries will utilize the concept of controlled digital lending, in which a library "circulate[s] a digitized title in place of a physical one in a controlled manner" (Hansen & Courtney, 2018, p. 2). In other words, if the library holds a single print copy of a book in our collection, one student can 'check out' a digital copy instead, as long as there are restrictions on the downloading and saving of the documents.