Both in-store and online, the Collegiate Store stocks the course materials (textbooks and related supplies) that students need for their courses.
Ordering Course Materials
The Collegiate Store wants to make your course material shopping experience hassle-free. We provide several easy ways to order your textbooks and related supplies.
Go to the Rensselaer Collegiate Store's retail website.
- Click Textbooks at the top of the screen.
- Enter your Rensselaer Identification Number (RIN) and click Enter.
- A pre-populated list of your enrolled courses will be presented.
- Required, recommended, suggested course materials may be selected.
- Non-course material items (eg. Clothing, Gifts, Technology, etc.) must be added manually.
- Proceed to Check-out
- Additional steps may be required for first time users. (i.e. create an online account, create a rental account if renting for the first time, etc.).
- Check out. Select for shipping or in-store pick-up (when available).
- Payment can be made via Credit Card, PayPal, Gift Card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, Garmin Pay, or Student Bursar Account. (RIN will be required for Bursar Charges).
The following steps will guide you through the process of ordering your materials through the LMS.
- Login to the LMS.
- From the "Menu", select "Tools", click "Follett Discover."
- Mobile users will need to select the triple bar menu icon to access "Tools".
- The Follett Discover dashboard will present you with the following options:
- The “My Courses” tab displays courses for the selected term.
- Select the term you want and click update.
- Click “Purchase All Materials” to be redirected to the Collegiate Store’s website to select and order your materials.
- A pre-populated list of your enrolled courses will be presented.
- Required, recommended, and suggested course materials may be selected.
- Non-course material items (eg. Clothing, Gifts, Technology, etc.) must be added manually.
- Proceed to Check-out
- Additional steps may be required for first time users. (i.e. create an online account, create a rental account if renting for the first time, etc.).
- Check out. Select for shipping or in-store pick-up (when available).
- Payment can be made via Credit Card, PayPal, Gift Card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, Garmin Pay, or Student Bursar Account. (RIN will be required for Bursar Charges).
- The “My Materials List” tab provides students a method for generating a course materials shopping list for an easier in-store shopping experience.
- Course materials in-store are now in alphabetical order by author.
- The generated shopping list is presented in alphabetical to faclitate an easier and quicker shopping experience when shopping in the Collegiate Store.
- The “My Courses” tab displays courses for the selected term.
The following steps will guide you through the process of ordering your materials through the SIS.
- Login to the SIS.
- Click Student Menu.
- Click View Weekly Schedule.
- Input the term, click submit, and scroll to the bottom of the page.
- Click Purchase books at the Collegiate Store.
- You will be redirected to the Collegiate Store’s website.
- A pre-populated list of your enrolled courses will be presented.
- Required, recommended, and suggested course materials may be selected.
- Non-course material items (eg. Clothing, Gifts, Technology, etc.) must be added manually.
- Proceed to Check-out
- Additional steps may be required for first time users. (i.e. create an online account, create a rental account if renting for the first time, etc.).
- Check out. Select for shipping or in-store pick-up (when available).
- Payment can be made via Credit Card, PayPal, Gift Card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, Garmin Pay, or Student Bursar Account. (RIN will be required for Bursar Charges).
Go to the Rensselaer Collegiate Store website.
- Click Textbooks at the top of the screen.
- Click Enter Courses. (You may need to select the Term).
- You may Shop by Course (select from a series of drop down menus) or Shop by Course ID (you will need the Course ID number).
- Required, recommended, and suggested course materials may be selected.
- Non-course material items (eg. Clothing, Gifts, Technology, etc.) must be added manually.
- Proceed to Check-out
- Additional steps may be required for first time users. (i.e. create an online account, create a rental account if renting for the first time, etc.).
- Check out. Select for shipping or in-store pick-up (when available).
- Payment can be made via Credit Card, PayPal, Gift Card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, Garmin Pay, or Student Bursar Account. (RIN will be required for Bursar Charges).
Students are invited to shop and purchase their course materials in person (during hours of operation).
To make the shopping experience quicker and easier, the Collegiate Store now organizes textbooks alphabetically by author.
We provide several hassle-free methods for shopping in store for your course materials.
1.) Follow the LMS shopping instructions (above) and go to the My Materials List tab.
2.) Go to: https://list.follettdiscover.com/rensselaerpolytechnicinstitute and enter your student ID.
3.) Come to the store and use our kiosk near the text department to print a materials list.
4.) Come to the store and use a smart phone to scan QR codes located throughout the textbook department.
For more information about tracking an order you have already placed and for inquiries related to shipping charges and delivery times (including international shipments), please go to our Shipping & Delivery FAQ Page.
If you have additional questions related to your order(s) or a topic not addressed here, please send an email to: RPI@bkstr.com
The Collegiate Store provides some additional FAQ information for your convenience.
For general questions related to orders and accepted payment methods, please refer to our Orders FAQ Page.
For general questions related to textbooks, please refer to our Textbooks FAQ Page.
If you have any additional questions not addressed on any of our FAQ pages, please send an email to: RPI@bkstr.com.
Textbook Rentals
Many of the textbooks available at the Collegiate Store can be rented for the semester and returned at the end of the term.
Students have several advantages when renting textbooks:
- Save up to 80% off the new purchase price!
- Writing and highlighting in textbooks are allowed and encouraged.
- Rented textbooks may be converted to purchase at any time up to and including the rental due date.
- Ordering/renting textbooks on the Collegiate Store's retail website (see instructions above) gives students access to the widest selection of used and rental textbooks in the country.
The textbook return date is set immediately following final exams and is again provided to students during each rental transaction.
Rental availability will be listed in store on our shelf tags, but can also be reviewed on our retail website.
For more detailed information about the rental process and asociated options, please see the FAQ section on our retail website.
Returning Textbook Rentals
There are two ways for students to return their rental books. Please see below for more details.
Students that are not local to the Troy campus will need to ship their rental textbook(s) back to the store.
Students may use the carrier of their choice and at their expense.
With the shipment, please include your name, phone number, email, and Patron ID (all reminder emails have the Patron ID included).
Students will receive a cadence of reminder emails as we approach the rental due date.
Please return rental textbook(s) to the following address:
Rensselaer Collegiate Store
Rensselaer Union
110 8th Street
Troy, NY 12180
Students that are living in the Troy area can bring their rentals to the union via curbside service.
The Rensselaer Union will be closed, but the Collegiate Store staff will be present during the week.
We will be able to accept rentals back Mon - Fri 10am - 4pm (with the exception of any holidays over the break).
When you arrive to the union, call the store at: 518-276-6555.
We will greet you outside the union to collect your rental textbook(s).
Please be sure to include the following with your books so that we may check them in correctly: Name, phone number, email, and Patron ID (all reminder emails have the Patron ID included).
Digital Course Materials
The Collegiate Store offers a wide range of digital products to meet the needs of most students.
Digital course materials continue to play a larger role in the academic experience. The Collegiate Store offers a wide range of these digital products which are available through our website and both the SIS and LMS.
As the nature and content of these digital materials are ever changing, please check our Digital Books FAQ Page for current information regarding digital materials (including accessibility and print capabilities)
If you have additional questions, please email the store at: RPI@bkstr.com
Price Match
The Collegiate Store offers a price match guarantee on all of its textbooks. If you find an identical in-stock textbook for rent or purchase priced lower elsewhere, we'll match it right at the registers!
Price match transactions must be performed in person at the Collegiate Store.
Exclusions and limits apply. Please see our Price Match FAQ Page for more information.
Cash for Books (Textbook Buyback)
Selling back textbooks is not just an end-of-the-semester event!
The Collegiate Store performs textbook buybacks year-round both in-store and online.
Students are invited to sell back their textbooks in person (during hours of operation). (Note: The store will have limited hours during the summer 2021 semester. In accordance with Covid-19 protocols, store visitors must adhere to campus distancing requirements in order to maintain the safety of everyone within the store.)
Bring your textbook(s) to the front registers and we will advise on how much your textbook(s) are worth.
- If there is a current or near-future need for a textbook, we will pay up to 50% of the purchase price for that textbook.
- If there is not a current or near-future need for a textbook, we will pay the current wholesale value for that textbook.
For more information about selling your books back in-store, please see our Sell Your Textbooks FAQ Page.
If you have additional questions, please send an email to: rpi@bkstr.com and we will respond as quickly as possible.
Students are able to sell back books outside store hours of operation.
Go to the Collegiate Store’s retail website.
- Go to the bottom of the webpage.
- Click the “Sell Your Textbooks” link.
- On the right side of the page click the “Sell Your Textbooks” button.
- You will be re-routed to Valore Books.
- Follow the steps on that site to conduct the transaction.
For more information about selling your books back in-store and online, please see our Sell Your Textbooks FAQ Page.
If you have additional questions, please send an email to: rpi@bkstr.com and we will respond as quickly as possible.
Faculty Resources
Faculty members will find information related to the course material adoption process within this section.
Course material adoptions are due to the store by specific deadlines:
- Summer Term: March 31st
- Fall Term: April 30th
- Spring Term: October 31st
Leveraging existing technologies from the Collegiate Store and the Institute, the preferred method for submitting course adoptions is through the Follett Discover module, located within the Learning Management System (LMS)
The Follett Discover module allows faculty to easily discover, research, and adopt course materials all in one place. In addition to adopting traditional print materials, Follett Discover makes it easy to search and adopt non-traditional materials such as YouTube videos, Open Education Resources, faculty generated content, and MOOC content.
The Collegiate Store provides a downloadable PDF with instructions on how to use the Follett Discover module.
- Login to the LMS.
- From the "Menu", select "Tools", click "Follett Discover."
- Mobile users will need to select the triple bar menu icon to access "Tools".
- Utilize the downloadable PDF instructions to guide you through the adoption process.
The Collegiate Store will continue to send reminder emails as we approach both the term submission deadline and the start of classes.
The Collegiate Store requests that those faculty members who do not require course materials for their course(s) to please also submit that information through the Follett Discover module so that we may properly update the status of each course/section.
Please note: The Collegiate Store’s course material database is continually transmitted to the Student Information System (SIS) allowing RPI to maintain federal compliance with the Higher Education Opportunity and Affordability (HEOA) Act of 2008. It is critical for all course material information to be sent to the Collegiate Store as early as possible.
Several course material options are available to help bring down costs to students, including the use of Digital Learning Materials, Open Educational Resources, and Faculty Generated content. Additional information for these options can be found below.
These options notwithstanding, the single greatest contributor to the reduction of course material costs to your students is the timely submission of course material needs to the Collegiate Store.
Early adoption submissions contributes to course material affordability by:
- Allowing the store time to source used and rental inventory, ensuring that your students have the most affordable options available for the first day of class.
- When adoptions are known before our end-of-term buyback event, we are able to pay your students top dollar for the materials they sell back, while keeping the affordable books circulating locally. (Please note: The store will actively buy back textbooks while open. If the store is closed or the campus is shut down, the buy back process is still available online. Instructions for selling back online can be found on the store’s information page.)
- Allowing the store ample time to research your requested materials and determine whether they can be added to our national network list of rental titles, potentially lowering prices even more.
You are invited to review our whitepaper document on the topics of cost saving and early adoption submission: “Lowering the Cost of Textbooks Through On-time Adoption Submissions.”
As an integral part of the Rensselaer Union, our partnership with student leaders and campus administrators is critical to our mutual success. In this spirit and to ensure our students receive a hassle-free course material shopping experience, the Collegiate Store asks that faculty consider a few recommendations.
- Include the Collegiate Store on your Syllabus with instructions on ordering course materials.
- Ordering instructions can be found on our information page by sharing this link: https://info.rpi.edu/collegiate-store/textbooks/#OrderingCourseMaterials or
- Provide your students with ordering instructions via this downloadable PDF.
- Encourage students to order their materials early!
- Early ordering will give students first pick of the used and used-rental options. If their order requires one or more components to be shipped, they will not be academically impeded by any logistical delays.
- Students will have full access to the store’s return policy which is contingent on the class start date and not the order date.
- Students can avoid the lines associated with the typical back-to-school book rush (even though those lines move faster than most assume!). Students can have their course materials shipped home or just come to the store and retrieve their pre-packaged online order.
- Advocate for the Collegiate Store
- After the student activity fee, the Collegiate Store represents the largest source of income for the Rensselaer Union, which is relied upon for student groups and a host of other essential functions.
- Sales through the Collegiate Store serve to benefit the Rensselaer Union and Students, whether in the form of support for clubs and groups or student employment at the store.
The demand for digital content has increased considerably in recent years. As students are now more accustomed to learning in a digital environment, the Collegiate Store wants to emphasize and encourage the use of digital materials.
When considering and/or adopting digital content, please consider these factors:
- When adopting digital content, it is important that you confirm the exact ISBN with the publisher representative prior to submitting your request to the Collegiate Store.
- Please specify whether students should purchase the standalone eBook, courseware, and/or a digital bundle.
- If a bundle is needed, please also provide details on each components.
- With an increasing number of content providers adding digital options, it is critical for the specifics of the digtal content to be verified early in the adoption process.
Please note: Our advocacy for digital course materials will always align with your pedagogical freedom to choose the most appropriate course materials for your course(s). Faculty members are invited to partner with The Collegiate Store to explore digital content options as a potential alternative to printed materials. The use of digital content will help to facilitate improved accessibility for your students while also reducing course material costs and logistics associated with shipping physical textbooks.
Open Educational Resources (OER) content are free and openly licensed educational materials that can be used for teaching, learning, research, and other purposes. OER content promises greater access to course materials and affordability while also demonstrating improved student engagement, success, and enrollment.
Using the Follett Discover module, faculty are able to adopt Open Educational Resources (OER) from a number of vendors/sources.
The Collegiate Store is partnered with Lumen Learning. Faculty members considering the use of OER are invited to review the offerings from Lumen.
Faculty generated content, including the creation and use of course packs, is another way of reducing course material costs for students.
Faculty Generated Content
Faculty generated content can be adopted through the Follett Discover module and made accessible to students through the LMS. Once added through the module, this content is available for students to access. Additionally, there are no costs to students associated with this method.
Custom Published Content
Faculty generated content can be published for sale in the Collegiate Store and elsewhere.
The Collegiate Store has partnered with Xanedu to facilitate this option.
While this approach may be more labor intensive on the part of the faculty member, the savings to the students can be significant. In one recent example, we reduced the cost (to students) of a math textbook to $50 from over $200.
Course Packs
Course Packs represent an aggregation of content that can be developed in a few different ways:
- 100% faculty generated content that is printed and intended for sale locally at the Collegiate Store.
- Faculty generated content combined with an aggregation of selected materials that have previously been published.
- 100% aggregation of selected materials that have previously been published.
The Collegiate Store has partnered with Xanedu to facilitate this option.
A faculty member may prefer select chapters/sections from one or more sources. Instead of having students obtain full versions of the material(s) for limited use, a course pack can be assembled with just the components deemed essential by the faculty member.
Please note: Any materials selected for inclusion will need to pass through copyright clearance procedures. Xanedu will be able to advise on whether the selected content is open source, fair use, or subject to a royalty by the copyright owner, which would be factored into the cost of the course pack.