Virtual Reference Desk: Textbooks

We get it...textbooks can be crazy expensive and hard to find even if you can afford them. Your Michael Schwartz Library is here for you and for your professors, helping them to identify or even create quality low- or no-cost textbooks, and helping you to locate and use them.

We don't have all the textbooks for every class, but our collection is growing every semester, and we can help you find access to a lot of them. LET US HELP!

These e-books, print books, and electronic course readings are available right now

Need a password for electronic reserves? It's probably on your syllabus, but don't hesitate to ask a librarian or your instructor.

E-BOOKS: ELECTRONIC EDITIONS OF REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS
The Library is already paying for access to thousands of e-books! Every semester, we match up the bookstore's list of required textbooks with our e-book subscriptions, and create a handy list for you. Here's this semester's list.

ELECTRONIC COURSE RESERVES
Your professor may be using online library articles and e-books as required materials to supplement or even instead of a textbook. Check your syllabus, stop at the Library and Research Help Desk, or look them up yourself right here.

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THE PRINT TEXTBOOK CENTER, located on the first floor of the Library at the Library and Research Help Desk
Your professor may have put a print copy of your textbook or other course materials on reserve behind our Help Desk on the 1st floor. Some of them even lend us their own personal copies of your required texts! Any CSU student with a valid Viking Card may borrow these textbooks to use for a 2-hour loan at no cost. Check now to see if your course is listed.

Two hours not enough? Remember, the library has two FREE self-serve scanners, allowing you to scan materials directly to an email address, USB drive, or Google Drive account, then print your scanned content from any campus computer using your PaperCut print balance.

NOTE: Since print textbooks are being shared with everyone taking the same class, there is a $1.00 per hour overdue fee for any materials returned late. Please be considerate of your classmates and return them on time.

OHIOLINK
If the Michael Schwartz Library doesn’t have a copy of your textbook, the library of another Ohio academic institution might. Use the OhioLINK catalog to search for your book and request that it be sent to CSU at no cost. You can ask a librarian for help with this!

SearchOHIO
If you can’t find your book in OhioLINK, try the SearchOhio catalog, which contains items from public libraries across Ohio. Books found here can also be sent, at no cost, to CSU for pick up.

Viking Outfitters
Remember that the campus bookstore often offers used or for rent textbooks, which can significantly reduce your cost. Check with the bookstore, located in the Student Center.

OPEN TEXTBOOKS
Some professors - we like to call them "Textbook Heroes" - are using Open Textbooks: completely free print or electronic textbooks developed by themselves or by other faculty. The Library's Textbook Affordability Grants have saved CSU students over a million dollars in textbook costs, and we're big fans and supporters of the faculty who are committed to making your education more affordable. Ask your professor if he or she is using an open textbook, and if they are, be sure to nominate them as a Textbook Hero when the time comes!

About Printing Open Textbooks
Keep in mind that open textbooks may have dynamic content that is not possible to replicate in a printed copy. In addition, any updates to the open textbook will not be reflected in previously printed copies.

For Faculty: Are you a faculty member using an open textbook that you would like to be available in print in the library’s Textbook Center? Please reach out to your subject librarian to make this request.

For Students: Are you a student who would like to print an open textbook that your professor has assigned? Open textbooks can be printed anywhere, including in campus computer labs, but you might find it helpful to use CSU’s Printing and Duplicating services. Coil and comb binding are available for printing open textbooks. Rates and other information are available on the Printing and Duplicating website. Other options for printing openly licensed content include Brothers Printing (located on Euclid Ave across from campus) and printMe1.com/.