GrinnBooks Information for Students and Families
Program Benefits and Features
GrinnBooks takes all the guesswork out of obtaining textbooks for your courses. By including the cost of textbooks in tuition and purchasing in bulk, students will save money and be guaranteed access to their textbooks. Through GrinnBooks, students have access to their textbooks (whether physical or digital) on the first day of class, eliminating the need to search for or buy materials separately, ensuring they can start their coursework immediately. All textbooks are delivered to you through Canvas or through a convenient pickup at the Pioneer Bookshop with your Pioneer One Card. Every student has the individual choice to remain enrolled in the program or opt out each term to find textbooks in another manner.
According to our estimates, students can expect to save an average of $150 on textbooks per term. Of course, each student’s unique circumstances will impact the savings they should expect.
All required textbooks designated by the instructor are included in the program. These include all textbooks, workbooks and other assigned reading.
Examples of items eligible for coverage by GrinnBooks are textbooks, courseware, or other academic software with an International Standard Book Number (ISBN). Open Educational Resource (OER) material and eReserves will continue to be available to student as well.
Materials listed on the recommended reading lists are not included in the program but are often available in the Burling Library reserve collection or at the Low-Income Lending Library for students who qualify. Students have the option to purchase recommended materials from the Pioneer Bookshop or a vendor of their choice.
Depending upon individual circumstances, students may still need to purchase their own basic supplies (notebooks, pens, etc.), as well as some course-specific items, such as lab goggles, calculators, or other non-text materials.
No. Material format is selected by the professor for each individual course.
Students auditing courses can access course materials in Canvas.
The cost of participating in GrinnBooks is included in the cost of tuition, there are no additional fees or charges for participation.
Program Participation
All degree seeking and exchange students are eligible to participate in the program. Ninth semester student teachers, and those auditing courses are not eligible to participate.
Students studying away from 51²è¹İapp are not eligible to participate. Your student account will reflect a credit for the cost of the program each term you study away.
Opt in means that you are participating in the GrinnBooks Textbook Program. No action is required to opt in. You will have access to your required textbooks by the start of classes. If you decide that you do not want to participate, you may opt out prior to the opt out deadline.
Information regarding the opt-out process will be available to students via their 51²è¹İapp email addresses this fall.
Students maintain full autonomy over their participation in this program. A universal (all course) opt out is available to students by semester. Those wishing to opt of out of the program must do so by the end of the drop/add period each semester. Students opting out do so for every course they are enrolled.
Single course opt out is not permitted; students that opt out will have program access removed for all courses in that term.
Students opting out of the program should expect to see a credit on their student account at the completion of the drop/add period. Those choosing not to participate in the program are free to purchase their textbooks from vendors of their choice.
No, Students who opt out of the program will see no change to their financial aid eligibility.
No. The Low-Income Textbook Lending Library will be geared towards low-income students who need access to recommended (not required) textbooks. Students who opt out of the program will not have access to the lending library.
Prior to the opt out deadline, you can opt back into GrinnBooks using the link provided in Canvas and your email.
Accessing & Using Your Textbooks
All digital textbooks, ebooks, eReserves through the library, and OER materials will be provided to students through our new LMS, Canvas.
Publisher courseware (such as McGraw-Hill Connect or Pearson Access) is accessed through an integration in Canvas or with a provided URL.
Printed textbooks will be distributed to students through The Pioneer Bookshop at the beginning of each term. Please bring your Pioneer OneCard to pick up your books.
The Office of Disability Resources and Assistive Technology is available to assist students with an official accommodation for an alternate format for your textbooks (e.g., readable PDF, Braille, large print, etc.). Students are required to be opted into the GrinnBooks program and have a copy of the textbook (digital or print) to receive services. To arrange for alternate formats or to request accommodations, students should contact Disability Resources and Assistive Technology, via email or call tel:641-269-3089. You can find more information on the Assistive Technology 51²è¹İappShare site (login required).
Recommended reading lists are not included in the program, but often available in the Burling Library reserve collection or at the low-income lending library. Students have the option to purchase recommended materials from the Pioneer Bookshop or a vendor of their choice.
Yes, although most digital materials will expire following the completion of the course. Physical textbooks and materials are the student’s to keep. They may choose to sell these books back to the Pioneer Bookshop at the end of the term.
No, your printed textbooks are yours to keep unless you drop the course. There will be an option to sell your printed materials at the end of the term if you choose.
No. Faculty at 51²è¹İapp retain full academic freedom over the materials they choose to require for their courses.
Course Enrollment
When adding a course, digital materials will automatically become available to you on Canvas in 24 hours. Printed materials will be available for pickup at the Pioneer Bookshop.
Students dropping a course prior to the end of the drop/add period must return the materials for the dropped course. Digital materials will automatically be removed from Canvas when a course is dropped. Physical textbooks must be returned to the Pioneer Bookshop no later than 7 days after the end of the drop/add deadline. Non-returned print materials will be charged to your student account at the publisher’s listed new book price. Books from a dropped course must be in the same condition as when it was purchased to receive a refund. New books that have been written or highlighted in are not returnable.
Students withdrawing from a course after the drop/add deadline retain ownership of their printed materials and do not need to return them to the Pioneer Bookshop.