University Book Store receives information regarding textbook requirements from your professors as early as months before the semester starts through the first weeks of classes. We make every effort to get your books on the shelf as soon as we learn of the requirements. If you don't find a book, you can keep checking back or you can go to the information counter in the course materials department to inquire on the status of your book.

Textbooks are located on the lower level of University Book Store at 711 State Street. Class books are arranged first by department, next by class within each department. You should bring a list of your classes with you when you shop for your books each semester. This list should contain the names of your professors along with lecture and section numbers. This will help you make sure you're buying the right books for the right classes. It's not uncommon to have three professors teaching a particular class using three completely different sets of books.

Yes, at text.uwbookstore.com. You will need the same information as that listed in the previous answer when ordering textbooks online. You may have your books delivered to your home or dorm, or you may pick them up on the lower level of University Book Store, 711 State Street, during regular Book Store hours. You must present a valid picture I.D. at time of pickup.

Occasionally books are unavailable when you make your first trip to the University Book Store. In most cases this is not because a book has sold out, but because it simply has not arrived. Instructors are made aware of these out of stock situations and will usually adjust assignments until books arrive. When enrollments are larger than expected, instructors notify the Book Store of the increases and books are re-ordered. These usually arrive by the end of the first week of classes. We do begin taking reservations for books at the end of the first week. Stop in at the service counter in the text department and fill out a form so that we can save a copy of the book for you and send you a card notifying you of its arrival.

The University Book Store purchases textbooks from students year round. We also buy used books from wholesalers across the country. These used books tend to be the best value for the students, which also means they are in the greatest demand.

Yes. The University Book Store offers its buyback service for two basic reasons:

1. to provide students cash for books they no longer need; and,
2. to provide a supply of used books for students to buy at substantial savings.

The buyback price is determined by a variety of factors. For buyback pricing, textbooks fall into one of three categories. During the course of a semester or buyback period, a title may move from one category to another based on demand. The categories are as follows:

• ½ Price Books
  If a faculty member has notified the University Book Store that a book will be used on campus next semester, in most cases we will pay ½ of the current new book price, even if you bought the book used or the new book price was lower at the time of your purchase. When we have met our anticipated needs for that title for the upcoming semester, we will purchase that title for the used book wholesalers.
• Books not ordered for the upcoming semester
  Used book wholesalers determine the prices they will pay for certain books. The University Book Store technically acts as the wholesaler's agent and buys the book for the company from the student, and thus we must use their prices. Nationwide demand, current wholesaler supply and anticipated revision dates are some of the factors that the wholesale companies use in determining the prices they offer.
• Books that we are not buying back
  There are four reasons why a book may not have any buyback value:
  1. A new edition has been published
  2. There is little or no nationwide demand
  3. There is excess wholesale supply
  4. The book is in poor (non-salable) condition

Every day that we are open which is Monday through Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 5:00 p.m.

The best time to sell your books is during the periods of May 1st through August 31st and December 1st through January 20th.

Absolutely! By aggressively purchasing used books and participating in buyback, you can save up to 75% off the new book price. (For example, if you bought a used copy of a $50 book for $37.50 and then sold it back at ½ price of $25, you would pay only $12.50 for the use of that book; that's only 25% on the new book price.)

Some instructors provide books lists to other local shops. We may very well have used copies of the books you need. Bring us a copy of your syllabus after you have gone to your first class and we will do all we can to find used copies of the books you need.

The University Book Store accepts cash, check, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover and Wiscard, the University of Wisconsin-Madison's debit card.

You can put money into your Wiscard Campus Cash account at the Memorial Union Cashier's Office or online.

The average student spends $350-$450 per semester at the University Book Store.

The return policy for the non-textbook merchandise is 30 days with a receipt for a full refund.

Collegiate clothing and gifts, school supplies, computers and tech gear, art supplies, even coffee too!

Yes, art and supply kits are found in the lower level of the University Book Store. General supplies are on the first floor.

Notary public, campus shipping center, tech center, computer repair, and custom framing.