WUSTL students can rent textbooks through the WUSTL Campus Store for the first time this fall through the new Rent-A-Text program.
By renting rather than purchasing the books needed for their courses, students can save, on average, 50 percent off the price of new textbooks, according to Follett Higher Education Group.
“We expect that renting course books will represent a significant savings for today’s cost-conscious students,” says Betsy Schneider, director of the Campus Store.
In addition to helping students save money, the program’s other benefits include:
- Same-day service. Students can rent and return textbooks in-store or online, ensuring they have the right textbooks the day classes start.
- Real-life usage. Students can highlight and take notes in the book, which are considered part of the normal wear and tear associated with coursework.
- Variety of payment options. Students can choose how to pay for their rental, including financial aid and campus cards.
- Option to purchase. Students can buy rented textbooks at the end of the term if they want to keep them.
To celebrate the launch of Rent-A-Text and to show its appreciation for students, the Campus Store will hold contests from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 26, at the South 40 Clocktower during new student move-in and on Friday, Aug. 27, in the Mallinckrodt Center, during which students can win up to $25,000 for spelling “FORENT” in a dice roll competition. Students who roll and spell “RENT” will win a $500 bookstore gift card.
Also Aug. 26 and 27, the Rent-A-Text team will roam campus and surprise students with free pizza when they least expect it.
Rent-A-Text is offered through WUSTL partner Follett Higher Education Group, the leading provider of bookstore services and the foremost supplier of used books in North America.
In addition to textbook rental, the Campus Store offers many Ebooks, or digital versions of textbooks. Ebooks typically are about half the cost of printed textbooks. Some Ebooks are replicas of the printed version; others offer enhanced options.
The Campus Store also offers traditional textbooks.
“Students have more choices than ever before when purchasing their course materials, allowing them to choose the option that works best for their budgets and study habits,” Schneider says.
For more information about Campus Store’s textbook rental program, visit wubookstore.com or contact Heather Clark at (314) 935-5584 or heather_clark@aismail.wustl.edu.