Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it important to have updated mailing information?

In order to mail textbooks in a timely manner, it is imperative that students email Textbook Rental Service at textbks@eiu.edu their address each semester. All shipments are sent via UPS. UPS does not ship to post office boxes. An actual street address is required.

How important is the use of my EIU email account?

It is extremely important for all students to access their EIU email account. This is the primary communication tool for our department to notify students of important information such as instructions for the timely return of dropped or withdrawn textbooks, consequences of late return of textbooks, reminders of textbook sales dates, holdover textbook returns and end of semester textbook returns, and all information regarding charges and billing for damaged textbooks.

How do I get my textbooks?

If you live within Coles County or are taking any on-campus courses, you are required to come and pick up your textbooks at Textbook Rental Service. Sometimes professors/instructors will pick up textbooks for an off-campus course. If you live outside Coles County and they are not being taken by the professor/instructor, your textbooks will be mailed to you via UPS if you have provided our office with your address each semester. Since they do not deliver to PO boxes, a full street address will need to be provided. Students may also come and pick up their own textbooks. Please be sure to contact us if you do not live within Coles County but would prefer to pick up your own textbooks. Our regular hours for the Fall and Spring semesters are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. We have extended hours at the beginning of each semester that can be found on our website.

If I have online and/or off-campus courses and on-campus regular courses, can I pick up my books at the same time?

Yes, if a student is taking both on-campus courses and online and/or off-campus courses, they will need to pick up all textbooks at Textbook Rental Service. Textbooks are only mailed, via UPS, to students taking all of their courses online and/or off-campus, who do not live in Coles County, and have provided their street address to Textbook Rental Service each semester via textbks@eiu.edu .

As rental property, how do I care for my textbooks?

Be sure to protect your textbooks at all times. We recommend a waterproof book bag/backpack or another type of protective method for transporting your textbooks. Keep them away from food, drink, and all other potentially damaging situations, including protecting your textbooks from weather-related conditions.

What happens if I lose or damage a textbook?

Students will be required to pay full list price, plus tax, for any textbooks that have been lost, written in, highlighted or underlined, have any visible signs of liquid damage of any type, have been subjected to unusual wear, or have RFID tags that have been removed or damaged in any way, plus any associated late fines. These charges are non-refundable.

Why it is important to insure textbooks when returning them by mail?

We encourage the insuring of all packages when students are returning textbooks to us. Textbooks are very expensive and if a problem occurs and the package is lost or damaged, the chances of reimbursement are greater.

If I received my textbooks in the mail, do I have to mail them back at my expense?

Yes, it is the responsibility of the student to pay the shipping cost to return textbooks back to Textbook Rental Service in a timely manner by the deadlines for dropped/withdrawn courses or the end-of-semester deadline. Textbooks can be mailed back or brought in to Textbook Rental Service. We strongly encourage students to insure their packages when mailing textbooks back to us. Our address is:

Eastern Illinois University
Textbook Rental Service
975 Edgar Drive
Charleston, IL 61920

If I drop/withdraw from a course, how soon must I return associated textbooks to avoid any charges?

Students taking all online and/or off-campus courses students have five business days to return all textbooks from dropped and/or withdrawn courses from the date of the drop or withdrawal to avoid charges including a $20 per book non-refundable processing fee, a $20 per book late fine, and the price of the textbook(s). The timely return of these textbooks results in adequate quantities for those students who have added courses.

If I want to purchase a textbook, can I do it at any time?

Each semester there is a designated sales period during which you can buy textbooks currently checked out to you at a discounted price, if applicable. Textbooks are depreciated with use and these savings are passed along to our students. We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, checks (payable to Eastern Illinois University), cash, or students may authorize us via email to bill their individual student account for their textbook purchase. Prices are not given over the phone, so please email our office for specific textbook prices. Please include your name, E-number, and the specific textbooks you are interested in purchasing.

When is the deadline for my textbooks to be returned

Textbooks can be returned at any time during the semester/term prior to the return deadline, with no penalty, with the exception of those textbooks associated with dropped or withdrawn courses. The textbook return deadline is established each semester/term and can be found on our website, EIU's academic calendar, and automated email notifications sent to EIU email accounts from Textbook Rental Service.

Students taking online and off-campus courses have an additional five business days, following the on-campus return deadline, to return textbooks associated with online and off-campus courses only, without any charges. This deadline is identified as the five-day grace period deadline and can be found in the above stated locations. Textbooks returned by mail that are postmarked by the five-day grace period deadline will be accepted and credited to the associated student account as long as the textbooks are in good condition. After the five-day grace period deadline, no textbooks will be accepted, unless postmarked by the deadline date, and all $20 per book late fines and textbook charges will be posted to the associated student account. This is non-refundable. Our address is:

Eastern Illinois University
Textbook Rental Service
975 Edgar Drive
Charleston, IL 61920

Textbook Rental Service

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