Getting Your Textbooks and Course Materials: FAQ

Modified on Thu, Aug 20 at 11:33 AM

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Where do I find my book list?
Where do I buy or rent my books?
Are there free textbook options?
Can I split costs or buy used from other students?
What if I can't afford my books upfront?

Where do I find my book list?

Your required and recommended course materials, including ISBNs, are listed on your course syllabus and in the Self-Service course description. An ISBN is the unique identifying number for each edition of a book. Confirm your list with your instructor during the first week of classes. Some items marked "recommended" may not be required.

Where do I buy or rent my books?

Lesley does not operate a campus or virtual bookstore. You'll purchase or rent materials directly from a retailer of your choice. Once you have your ISBNs, you can compare prices across sellers, including:

Price-comparison tools like BookFinder and CampusBooks search a single ISBN across many sellers at once. Renting or choosing a digital edition usually costs less if you don't need to keep the book after the course ends.

Using VA education benefits? See Buying Course Materials with VA Education Benefits before you buy. Chapter 31 (VR&E) students in particular may need pre-approval and may be limited in where they can purchase.

Should I check the library first?

Novels and general reading assignments are often available free through the Lesley library as ebooks or physical copies you can borrow. Textbooks are harder to find this way because publishers restrict how libraries can license and lend textbook editions.

Some instructors place a copy of the assigned textbook on course reserve for in-library use. The library can also request some titles through interlibrary loan (ILL). ILL requests can take several days, and ebook textbooks usually can't be requested this way. So treat it as a supplement to buying or renting your own copy, not a replacement.

Are there free textbook options?

Some courses, especially general education and introductory courses, use Open Educational Resources (OER): peer-reviewed textbooks from providers like OpenStax and LibreTexts, available at no cost. Check your course page in MyLesley for OER links before buying anything.

Can I split costs or buy used from other students?

Students often use course-specific social media groups or class forums to split the cost of a text, share a copy during the semester, or buy and sell used copies after a course ends.

What if I can't afford my books upfront?

If you have a pending credit balance on your student account from federal financial aid, the Student Account Office will notify you if you're eligible for a book advance. A book advance gives you access to a portion of your excess financial aid or loan funds before your full refund is issued, specifically for required books and course materials. Watch your Lesley email for eligibility details.