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Faculty and Staff Library Resources and Services

This guide gathers resources to assist faculty and staff in using Western's library tools, resources, and services.

Course Reserves (Textbooks in the Learning Commons)

What are course reserves and how do they work? 

We have a small collection of textbooks available at the Learning Commons for in-house use by students. These books are housed on the shelves behind the circulation desk at the Learning Commons and students can ask at the desk to borrow one for an hour or two. 

Do you have anything on reserve for my course?

Search our library catalog by your course name, course number, or textbook title to see if materials are on reserve for your course. You can also ask a librarian and we'll be happy to help!

Can I put materials on reserve?

Yes! We encourage instructors to share materials with us for their students to borrow and use.

Course reserves are provided to us by the instructor or division and then library staff mark it for reserve use. If instructors receive an updated copy of a text that is already on reserve, send it to the Learning Commons/Library and we will replace the outdated material with the new version.

Can I put something other than a book on reserve?

Sure. We are willing to place other items on reserve for your students to use at the Learning Commons or to check out for a limited period of time (1 day or 7 days are the most common). If this option might meet your needs, please reach out to us at library@westerntc.edu to discuss specifics.

I heard you had a collection of electronic course reserves. How does that work? 

Yes, this is an area that we are continue to explore, pilot, and evaluate. These items show up in the library catalog and more information about our electronic course reserves is included below. 

Textbooks at the Learning Commons

We understand that textbooks can be a real financial burden. Although it's not always possible to provide free (and legal) copies through the Library, we do try when we can. We care about affordability because we know it matters to you. 

Some textbooks assigned in Western courses are:

  1. Available as Library ebooks that Western students and staff can access for free
  2. Open Educational Resources that anyone can access for free 
  3. Available in the print Course Reserves collection behind the desk (these are available for use in the Learning Commons)

Browse the list below or search the library catalog by textbook title or course number to see if we have your textbook available. You can also stop by the Learning Commons and ask a staff member for assistance.

All Library Ebooks Available on Electronic Course Reserve (Free for Western Students and Staff!

All of the library ebooks listed below are available for unlimited use by Western students and staff, although you may need to log in with your student ID number and MyWestern password in order to access them.

Unfortunately, only certain publishers allow books to be licensed by libraries in this way, so it's a somewhat uncommon situation. However, we are always exploring and trying new options!

Business and Professional Services

Design and Construction Technology

Education and Human Services

Health Sciences

Open Educational Resources (Free for Everyone!)

Some courses at Western use Open Educational Resources, which are materials that are either in the public domain or that have an open license that permits free reuse, modification, and distribution. OER are free for everyone, not just Western students and staff. 

The video below gives an overview of OER. For more information about OER and OER work at Western, please visit this guide

Links to OER Assigned in Western Courses

10102134 - Principles of Management (OER*) and Principles of Management (OER*)

10102137 - Blueprint for Success in College and Career (OER*)

10104114 Principles of Marketing (OER*)

10104172 - Retail Management (OER*)

10152185 Google Android Developer Training (OER*)

10801136 The Word on College Reading and Writing (OER*) and Writing for Success (OER*)

10801196 - Communication in the Real World (OER*)

10801197 - Technical Writing (OER*); Technical Writing (OER*); and Online Technical Writing (OER*)

10801198 - Stand Up. Speak Out (OER*)

10801199 - Technical Writing (OER*)

10806177 - Anatomy and Physiology 2e (OER*)

10809159 Abnormal Psychology, 2nd ed. (OER*)

10809188 - Lifespan Development: A Psychological Perspective (OER*)

10809198 - Psychology, 2e (OER*)

10809199 - Principles of Social Psychology (OER*)

10809199 - Human Relations (OER*)

10831103 - The Word on College Reading and Writing (OER*) and Writing for Success (OER*)

10890102 - College Success (OER*)

20806280 - Essentials of Environmental Science (OER*)

20806209 - Chemistry: Atoms First, 2e (OER*) and Chemistry Library (OER*)

20806280 - Essentials of Environmental Science (OER*)

20809231 - Psychology, 2e (OER*)

20810201 - Stand Up. Speak Out (OER*)

20890200 - College Success (OER*)

20890202 - College Success (OER*)

77856761 - Concepts of Biology (OER*)

77856761 Chemistry: Atoms First, 2e (OER*)

Looking for more OER?


Western Technical College

Western Technical College Learning Commons
Student Success Center, Room 201
400 7th Street North
La Crosse, WI 54601
learningcommons@westerntc.edu
State Relay: 711
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