Image courtesy of the WVSU Bookstore
The WVSU Bookstore sells most of the textbooks and other course related materials listed in your class syllabus. To find course lists for your classes, and to see what the Bookstore has available, you can search by Campus, Term, Department, Course, and Section under the Textbooks tab on the Bookstore homepage.
There are a growing number of online sites to buy new and used textbooks. The following seem to be legitimate, but always use discretion when buying online. Keep in mind shipping time and delays may effect when you get your books, so plan accordingly. Also, check return policies, pre-paid return labels, and rental and buy-back options before purchasing.
The following links are for informational purpose only: WVSU and the Drain-Jordan Library do not endorse or affiliate with any site, nor assist with customer service issues.
Content from this guide was adopted, with permission, from a previously created guide from the University of Rio Grande & Rio Grande Community College.
The Drain-Jordan Library seeks to supplement the curriculum, not duplicate it. While we do provide print and online resources, we generally do not buy textbooks. This means that we may not have the books listed in your syllabus that you need for class.
For more on searching the Virtua Online Card Catalog and finding resources through the Library, see our Introduction to Library Resources guide.
How do books (and other materials) on reserve work?
If your professor says there are materials on Reserve at the Drain-Jordan Library, it means that they have either left content in the Library for students to use or we have set some aside from our general collections. Reserved materials are generally books or CDs/DVDs, but can include other content. These materials cannot be checked out, so a copy is always available if you need it for a specific assignment or class. Reserved materials are located at the circulation desk. Content on reserve is organized by class, so in order to access materials we will need to know either the title or the professor that reserved it. You will also need your student ID, as we hold on to it when you are using reserved content. Sometimes professors will set aside more than one book or CD, and have additional copies available that can be checked out for up to a week. For the most part, however, reserved content is only available for use within the Library.
If you have any questions about books on reserve, contact the circulation desk at 304-766-3116.
If you're looking for content that we don't have through the Drain-Jordan Library, check out our Interlibrary Loan page. With ILL you can request materials from other libraries and they will mail them to us. This can include books, periodicals, pamphlets, CDs/DVDs, and other content. They generally take about a week or two to come in; you will be notified when they have arrived via your campus email. You check these materials out like any other book, and return them to us at the end of the rental period.
Unfortunately, most libraries do not buy textbooks, so if that's what you're looking for you may need to try some of the other options listed in this guide.
ILL is available to all current WVSU faculty, staff, and students. For the ILL form, see our Interlibrary Loans page on our Library website.