Q. Why can't I request textbooks through the demand-driven acquisitions program?

Western Libraries, like many academic libraries, avoids collecting and handling textbooks through interlibrary loan and our demand-driven acquisitions program. This is because circulation periods are inadequate for quarter long use and textbooks become obsolete quickly. The cost of purchasing textbooks for numerous users is prohibitive as well. That said, faculty members can place textbooks on course reserves to support their classroom instruction.

In some cases you may be able to find and place requests for textbooks through Summit, which will be filled unless the book is on reserves at the owning university.