Need to provide the text book relevant with the course. All of books here are too old and can not use as references for our class. Example: I am taking chemistry class and biology class when I come here to find the text book which relevant to my class but I could not find it. Only the old text book in the shelf. I do beleive all of these book was standing here for quite long time and nobody borrow it because it can not be used. I know if the library put alot of new books will cost too much money but my suggestion is put one or two new text book relevant with the class in the references area so the student can rotate borrow within 2 hours.

Karen Cary, Head of Collection Management for VCU Libraries, replies...
One way to interpret this question is as a request for the library to provide a copy of the textbook that is being used for the course. The Libraries has a long-standing policy of not purchasing course textbooks for the following reasons:

1. It would take a sizable amount of money to provide a copy of textbooks used in all the courses taught.
2. Textbooks change every semester.
3. It would be very difficult to identify textbooks used in courses in time to get a copy for a course.
4. Textbooks usually do not provide the best instructional and research support for the curriculum.

Another way to interpret this question is as a request for more current supporting texts (as opposed to textbooks) for a discipline. If this is the case, we would need additional information as to the discipline in question, etc., in order to evaluate the complaint.

Please let me know if you need additional information.
Karen Cary