Answered By: Library Services Desk
Last Updated: Jun 08, 2022     Views: 615

Hello,  

 

The University has begun working towards providing more affordable textbooks for studentsincluding adopting open education resources (learn more here). In the meantime, you have several options to help lessen the overall expense of buying textbooks 

 

1Top Textbook on Reserve: Each semester the UMD Libraries purchase required textbooks for the largest courses on campus and place them on reserveYou can borrow them from the Library Services Desk in McKeldin Library for 4 hours at a time. Search for your textbooks here to see if they are included in this program. 

 

2Course Reserves: E-Reserveswhich includes links to ebooks and PDF files of journal articles and book chapters, can be accessed through ELMS anytime and from anywherePrint books are held at a particular library and can be borrowed for 2 or 24 hours, depending on the instructor. Check to see if your professor has put your required readings on reserve here; if not, ask them to do so 

 

3. ILL and UBorrow: Unfortunately, most libraries do not buy textbooks, and if they do, they place them on reserve for their students to use.  While it is highly unlikely that you will be able to acquire a recent edition of a traditional textbook via ILL or UBorrow, you may be able to borrow older textbook editions or other required readings (e.g., novels for a literature classthrough these services.  However, please note that it will take a week or longer for these books to arrive, and you may not be able to keep them all semester.   

 

4. Sometimes your only option is to pay for your textbook. Tips for saving money when buying and renting textbooks are available here.    

 

 

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