Course Materials
Where do I find my book list?
Your book list is available as soon as you register for classes on AccessPlus. Just click “View Complete Textbook List” and your booklist will appear. Textbooks and course materials can be ordered directly from your book list plus you can compare your textbook prices with Amazon and other popular online retailers.
How do I get my textbooks?
Memorial Union Pick-Up
Select items from your book list online, we pull the books, you pick them up! It’s fast, easy and free. We even open it up for you to pre-order ahead of the upcoming semester, so you can get first dibs on used and rental books!
Shipping
Login to AccessPlus and click on “View Complete Textbook List”. Add the course materials you wish to purchase. Input the address where you would like to receive your delivery and complete your payment information.
In-Store
Do you like to pick out your own books? Go for it! We are open 7 days a week for you to stop in and shop for your course materials. Our textbooks are shelved alphabetically by author for your convenience.
When is the best time to order my books?
When deciding how early to order your books there are a few things to keep in mind. When we are picking orders, we go in the order that they were placed. Our used books are first come, first served so if getting used books is important to you, it is better to place your order as early as possible to have a greater chance of receiving used books. Another thing to consider is that your faculty may change their mind on what materials they are going to use. If this happens, and you’ve already placed your order with us, we will update your order by removing the books that you no longer need.
I heard textbooks cost more at the ISU Book Store. Is this true?
Not at all! In fact, we’re so confident in our competitive pricing, we allow you to compare textbook prices with Amazon and other popular online retailers right from our website. It’s super easy! Saving students money on textbooks is important to us. Our price comparison tool is so convenient you’ll want to tell all your ISU friends.
What can I put on my U-Bill (University Bill)?
You can put course materials including Textbooks, eBooks, Coursepackets, Lab Supplies, Art Supplies, and School Supplies on your U-Bill.
What if I pre-ordered by books and I have to change my class schedule?
When you place your order, you will get a confirmation email. Just simply reply to that confirmation email with the classes you need to drop and which ones you are adding. Our team will update your order so you don’t have to worry about exchanging books when school starts. If you change your schedule changes after we have already started picking orders, you can always return what you no longer need for a full refund the first week of class and you can shop the shelves in-store for anything that may have gotten added.
Who determines what books are needed for my classes?
Your instructors choose the specific book and edition that will be used for your classes. Encourage your instructors to re-use the same book or an old edition next semester to help keep textbook prices down.
What are the different recommendation codes and what do they mean on my book list?
Required: Required means that the material is essential to be successful in the course.
Alternate Choice: Alternate Choice means there are other versions of the Required material. You only need to choose one or the other, not both.
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 content.
I found an item with the author “Barchart” on my booklist and it says “Suggested by Bookstore”, what does this mean?
Barcharts are quick study guides that are beneficial as a supplemental material for the course that they reference. We have many different Barcharts for a variety of classes and they are a great way to get extra information for those courses. They are also a great way to study for a course. They are typically under $7, so they are a quick, easy way to study for your courses. They say “Suggested by Bookstore” because they aren’t required by your professor, but we, at the bookstore, have found them to be a great resource and suggest them to you as an optional resource.
What is the return policy on textbooks?
Students have the first week of classes to return textbooks for a full refund. Even better, during the second week of school, if you have dropped a course, you can still get a refund. You must have your receipt and be sure the books are in the original purchased condition.
How can I rent my textbooks?
Whenever possible, we offer new and used books to be rented rather than purchased. This allows you to rent a textbook for a certain amount of time and return it at the end of the rental period, which is at the end of the semester. Rental textbooks must be returned in good condition with no damage done to the book and minimal marks inside. Students can rent their textbooks in-store or online.
Will I need eBooks?
More than likely, yes. There are a few different types of digital course materials at ISU: standard eBooks, access codes, or immediate access. Details of what you need will be included in your book list. Instructions on how to access will be provided to you on or before the first day of class. All digital course materials at ISU are accessible through browser based applications.
What is an Access Code?
An access code is a password you use to access course content online, similar to a software license. The content depends on the course, but can include things such as practice exam questions, interactive videos to help you understand course concepts, and course assignments. If your professor requires you to purchase an access code, it is because at least part of your grade will be related to and/or come from the online content.
What is Immediate Access at ISU?
Immediate access is a new textbook model that delivers digital course materials at a significant savings off the market value of the traditional textbook. If your faculty has chosen to use Immediate Access for any of your courses, details will be posted in your booklist in AccessPlus. Students will receive access to the digital course materials on the first day of class and the charge will be automatically billed to the student’s university bill (U-Bill). Students can always request to opt-out and receive a refund within the first 10 days of class (5th day of class for partial semester courses).
Click here for more information about Immediate Access materials at ISU.
What else will I need for my classes?
Digital items are yours to keep, but most will probably expire after a specified period of time.
Rental books are due back during finals week. Don’t forget. Otherwise, you will be charged a fee to buy the book.
If you purchased your books, either new or used, you can keep them or sell them back to the book store during buyback no matter where you bought them. Buyback is a chance to sell your books for cash! It takes place every day in the store, but you get the most money during the end of the semester buyback. Yep, we pay you cash - up to half of the purchase price of your books!
I have a questions about laptops and tech.
Click here for more information and FAQs about Technology