Textbook Purchasing FAQs

Watch the Textbook Ordering video above for a full overview of how to order your course materials.

Do I need to buy ALL book titles recommended for my courses?

Not necessarily. Check your online booklist to distinguish between titles that are required and those that are listed as optional. A careful review of the course syllabus can also help you determine the extend of the reading assigned or when a book will be used during the course. Uncertain how substantially a book will be used? Ask your professor or another student who has taken the class.

Do I have to get all my textbooks now, or can I buy some later in the semester?

Many textbooks are kept in stock only until the middle of the current semester, except those that we know faculty will be using later in the semester. Although we can order any materials you may need, it's best to complete your purchases early in the semester.

What's the best way to pay for my textbooks?

Your Student Charge Account (Brown Charge). All full-time students are automatically set up with one and they are set up with a limit of $2,000 per student, per school year. Your Brown ID Card is required when using your Student Charge. These charges will be added to your University Account and billed as per standard University policies and procedures. Your Brown ID Card also identifies students, faculty, and staff for exemption from state sales tax in the Brown Bookstore on book and supply purchases intended for academic use. Other acceptable forms of payment are cash, credit card, personal check, or traveler's check.

How are the prices of textbooks determined?

The Brown Bookstore buys books from used book companies, publishers, and other vendors at the lowest prices we can find, and we pass those savings on to you. We set retail prices that allow enough margin to cover our costs to get the books onto the shelves here in the store and provide you with good customer service. The pricing of many of our books is market-based, meaning that we price according to supply and demand in the national market. We wish that all textbooks cost less, but the Brown Bookstore does what it can to lower the price of course materials whenever possible.

What is the Brown Bookstore doing to address the issue of the high cost of textbooks?

We are continually working to find ways to help students manager their investment in course materials. Our efforts include:

Searching the market for low-priced used books, and passing those savings on to students through lower purchase prices

Offering hundreds of money-saving used books

Expanding out select of lower-priced eBooks

Returning cash to students each year through Textbook Buyback

Working with faculty on cost-conscious textbook adoption strategies

Offering Inclusive Access materials to provide the lowest prices on all materials for individual courses (see our Inclusive Access FAQ for more info)

Can I return my Course Materials?

All refunds require the original receipt and will be refunded to the original form of payment. A full refund will be provided for Course Materials returned through the shopping period (the first two weeks of classes). Course Materials purchased after the shopping period must be returned within 2 business days of purchase for a full refund.

Course materials must be in original purchase condition or they will be refunded as used books. Textbook packages must be returned with all components, unused. Access codes and other online materials must be unopened/inactivated and returned by the end of the shopping period.

I have further questions that were not addressed. Who do I contact?

If your question wasn't answered in this FAQ, please email [email protected] for more information.