Textbook FAQs
The UNI Bookstore has what you need to help you succeed! Our textbook department works with your instructors to stock the right new, used, rental, and digital books for your classes – guaranteed. When you purchase your books through the Bookstore, you’re also investing in your community. Every purchase you make at the Bookstore circulates money back into the university to support students, faculty, staff, and campus initiatives.
Textbooks for the Fall Semester will be available for purchase online beginning June 1st and in store beginning July 1st. Use your course schedule to search for the textbooks you need for your classes, add them to your shopping cart, select your shipping method, and place your order. Fall Textbooks will be processed in mid July for online orders. Textbooks can be held at the Bookstore for pickup or shipped to your address
When deciding how early to order your books there are a few things to keep in mind. Textbook orders are processed in the order in which they are received. Our used books are first come, first serve, so if getting used books is important to you, it is better to place your order as early as possible to have the best chance of receiving them. Remember to place your order early enough to ensure delivery by the start of classes. Charge to your U-Bill and do not pay until classes start.
We are still receiving book requisitions from instructors and will continue to add titles to our website as they become available. If you don’t see the title you are looking for listed, keep checking back. If your instructor hasn’t decided what course materials they are going to use yet, or has not asked the Bookstore to carry the textbooks required for your class, the books will not be available on the Bookstore website.
Once your order is placed, you will need to contact us before the item is shipped to add a new product to your order. If it is too late, a new order would have to be placed with the new items.
Your instructors choose the specific books and editions that will be used for your classes. The UNI Bookstore works closely with your instructors to provide multiple options to help keep course material prices down.
Required: Required means that the material is essential to be successful in the course. Pick One: There are sometimes various formats of the required material, or an instructor may offer various titles to choose from. You only need to choose one. Recommended/Optional: If your instructor designates a material as Recommended or Optional, it is not essential to be successful in the course, but will be a supplemental resource for the course.
- Hardcover: A book bound with a rigid protective cover.
- Loose-leaf: A collection of loose pages that are typically three hole punched and are best organized in a binder.
- Access Code: A printed one-time code that gives you access to all online course content and, in some cases, a digital version of the textbook.
- eBook: A digitally rented book that gives you instant access and is good for one semester.
- Course Packets: A custom printed packet for your course that can only be found at the UNI Bookstore (Under your instructor as the author).
- New: A brand new book.
- Used: A pre-read book that is available for purchase at a reduced price.
- Inclusive Access: Digital course materials available in Blackboard at the lowest available price.
Textbook Rental Q & A
Not all, but most. A rental price will be listed if the title is a rental option.
There is no set % off for rental books. The price is determined based on the projected value of the book when the rental period is over. Since this is different for all books, the rental savings will vary.
Both are good options, it just depends on what's best for you. One question to ask yourself is if you will need this book for multiple semesters. If yes, you will most likely want to purchase the book instead of having to rent the book multiple times.
No, you receive those saving at the beginning of the semester by paying less now for the rental price.
If checking out in our store- Simply bring your books to a cashier and they will ask if you would like to purchase or rent each title that is available as a rental. A credit card is needed to secure the rental in case the title is not returned by the designated return date. A rental agreement will need to be signed at the end of the transaction.
If checking out at our website- Just click on the rental option for each book. A credit card is needed to secure the rental in case the title is not returned by the designated return date. A rental agreement will need to be acknowledged by clicking a box before the transaction can be completed.
The rental agreement signed upon check out will list the return date for each rental title. This date is typically at the end of the semester the book is being used for. Summer rentals are due back when the specific summer session is over.
Yes, a rental may be returned anytime before the due date listed on the rental agreement.
Yes, just have the person let us know who the rental is for so we can make sure it is logged as being returned for the correct person.
Rental reminders that list the books you rented will be emailed out at the end of the rental period. These reminders will go to the email address you listed when first renting the book. Textbook rentals will have a white XREF sticker and a purple and gold rental sticker.
All rental reversals should be done at the beginning of the semester. If you want to keep the rental book at the end of the semester, reach out to textbooks, email textbooks@uni.edu or call (319) 273-2665 and they will assist you with that transaction