UW-River Falls Chalmer Davee Library - Textbook Services

Frequently Asked Textbook Rental Questions

Who can use Textbook Services?

All UNDERGRADUATE students or SPECIAL students who pay UNDERGRADUATE fees may use the textbook rental.

Why can't graduate students use the Textbook Rental?

Graduate students do not pay a Textbook Rental usage fee in their tuition while undergrads do. That is why graduate students purchase most of their textbooks, usually at the Falcon Shop/Bookstore. Also, many of the textbooks used by graduate students are different from those used by undergrads. Undergraduates may not check out books for graduate students and will be charged for the textbooks if they do so.

Most textbooks for graduate students are available for purchase in the Falcon Shop in the University Center. Graduate students taking undergraduate and/or "slash" courses may rent texts from Textbook Services if the text is not available for purchase in the Falcon Shop, but only after all undergraduate requirements for the text have been met. A graduate rental fee ($12, $9, $6 or $4 per book, $2.00 per book for less expensive paperbacks) is collected at Textbook Services at the time the materials are checked out. The amount charged is based on the list price of the textbook(s) to be checked out for graduate class(es).All check out and return policies and procedures that apply to undergraduate students also apply to graduate students. See Student Policies, sections I. Book Issue, II.Book Returns, III.Penalties, etc for the corresponding policies.

How much will I have to pay?

A textbook rental fee of $71.65 per semester, for a full time undergraduate student, is charged for this service. Part time undergraduate students pay a fraction of this amount based on the number of credits they are taking.

For most classes, textbook rental fees are paid as part of tuition. You do not pay anything when you come to the Textbook Services unless you decide to purchase some of our optional web access codes, study guides, etc. However, for online classes, the textbook rental fee is not charged as part of the tuition. In these cases a textbook rental fee will be charged and this fee is collected at the time text book(s) are checked out. The amount of the textbook rental fee is $12, $9, $6, or $4 per book, or $2 per book for less expensive paperbacks; the amount charged is based on the list price of the textbook(s) to be checked out for the online class.

Where is Textbook Services located?

In the basement of Hagestad Hall.

What will I need to bring when I pick up my books?

You MUST have your student ID, or Drivers License every time that you check out a textbook. You will not be able to check out textbooks without your student id card or a picture bearing drivers license. You may, however, return textbooks without your student ID card or drivers license.

When do my books have to be returned?

The due date for rented textbooks is the last day of finals. You may return them earlier than that if you are done with them. In fact, returning them earlier, after you complete each final, may save you time spent waiting in line. We have extended hours during final exam week which are posted on the main page of this website (see our main webpage). Evening hours are usually less busy. Summer Session and JTERM textbooks are due by 4PM on the last day of the class in which the books are used.

What should I do when I drop a class?

Unless you are also adding a class that uses the same textbook(s), textbooks/materials used in dropped classes must be returned immediately, even if the course is to be retaken the following semester, as someone else in the class may not have a book. A fine of $5 per book is charged for books from dropped classes that are not returned within four (4) calendar days of the date the class is dropped at the Registrar or on eSIS. Students who have added classes are not allowed to pick up their texts for added classes until all their texts from dropped classes have been returned.

What happens if I don't get my books back by the due date?

A hold will be placed on your record in eSIS. an overdue notice will be generated and sent to you at the permanent, home address you have listed in the University system (eSIS). Books returned after the due date incur fines as stated on our website under Textbook Policies For Students.

Can I check out books for classes I'm not enrolled in?

This may be done after the 4th week of classes. Prior to that, we do not allow students to check out "extra" books as we have to be sure that all students who are enrolled in the class have their copies first. We will make exceptions to this rule if the book is not being used for the current semester, or if we clearly have more than enough copies for the class.

May I buy any of my rental books if I want to keep them?

Yes, you may buy any of your textbooks except for those that are out of print. If you wish to do so, be sure to watch for our textbook sales each semester - Textbooks are sold at a discount during the months of October, November, February, March, April, May, June & July. You must be an undergraduate student, currently enrolled, to purchase textbooks.

We also have copies of discontinued textbooks, i.e. textbooks that were formerly used in classes taught here, but have been discontinued in favor of a new edition or different textbook. Discontinued textbooks are priced from 25 cents to several dollars per copy. They are on display and for sale here at Textbook Services. By purchasing discontinued textbooks, you may build a professional library for a very reasonable cost.

Can a friend check out or return books for me if I am unable?

You must check out your own textbooks. If you are unable to come to Textbook Services to do so, you may have someone else check them out for you, but only with permission from the Textbook Services Manager.

A friend may return your textbooks for you, without permission, but please understand that you are still responsible for the textbooks should they be lost or damaged, overdue, or destroyed while in your friend's possession.

What if I have to take an incomplete for a class - will I still be charged a late fine?

If you must take an in complete for any course, let us know BEFORE the due date and we will make arrangements for you to keep the book(s) longer without incurring a fine. These arrangements are made on an individual basis. An additional rental fee is charged for textbooks used for incompletes during the Summer.

Will all of my books come from Textbook Services?

No, not all books come from Textbook Services. Sometimes instructors will ask you to get lab manuals, novels, or other supplemental books or materials that you will need to purchase (usually in the Falcon Shop/Bookstore in the University Center). You should always start in Textbook Services, though, as we nearly always carry the main texts for your courses.

How do I know what I can rent and what I have to purchase?

If you are an undergraduate student, it is better to start in Textbook Services and then after that check your course syllabus and with your professor to see if there are texts, study guides, workbooks, etc. that you may want to purchase in the Falcon Shop/Bookstore (in the University Center) or online. We have friendly, trained staff to help you out so please don't hesitate to ask.

If you are a graduate student, it is better to start at the Falcon Shop/Bookstore in the University Center.

What do I do if I lose a book or if it is stolen or damaged?

Materials that are lost, stolen, or damaged beyond repair must be paid for at full, list price.

Refunds will be given, upon return, for lost materials costing $6.00 or more, that are still current (i.e. have not been discontinued). A $6.00 per item service charge will be subtracted from refunds given on lost materials.

Students who return materials which are damaged, but still usable, will be charged fines which are based on the original cost of the material, the extent of the damage, the age of the material, and on the approximate cost of repair. Materials which are damaged and no longer usable must be paid for at full list price.

There is a 1 week period at the beginning of each semester during which students may inspect their textbooks for damage and report any problems to Textbook Services. After this one week period the student may be held responsible for damage to textbooks at the discretion of the Textbook Services Manager.

There is a 2 week period at the beginning of each semester during which students may verify that CDs and disks work and report damage or problems to Textbook Services. After this two week inspection period, the student may be held responsible for missing and damaged CDs and disks at the discretion of the Textbook Services Manager.

Students may exchange a privately owned text, CD or disk for a lost or damaged text, CD or disk at the discretion of the Textbook Services Manager only.

How does the Textbook Rental work?

Textbook Services' mission is to provide primary and secondary textbooks and learning resources to University of Wisconsin-River Falls students in direct support of the curriculum. Instructors are sent forms each semester and they let us know which textbooks and other learning resources they want us to issue for their classes. We order the textbooks, etc., barcode each one with it's own unique number and put them on the shelf in numerical order by their title id number.

Students come to Textbook Services, proceed to one of our semester textbook list printers and by scanning their id card or typing in their w number they may produce a list of the textbooks they will need for the semester.

Once students their textbook list, they may gather their textbooks from the stacks. Once you find the books that you need, you will proceed to the checkout stations in the front area of Textbook Services. You will give the worker your student ID. They will scan the barcode on the ID to bring up your unique record, then they will scan the barcodes on the books. Each book number is thereby "attached" to your ID number. You will need to return the exact copy number that you have checked out or the book will not be removed from your record. Returning a different copy of the book does not excuse you from the liability of returning the one that's on your record. This is an important part of your responsibility of having the privilege of using the rental as opposed to having to purchase all of your books. It is highly recommended that you keep track of your books and take care of them. If you think you may have gotten your book mixed up with someone else's, you may call the Textbook Rental and they will be able to tell you if that copy is checked out to you by a special inventory tracking system.