Key terms: purchase, rental, digital, access code, ISBN number, free, textbook vouchers

 

Textbooks are selected and required by professors in almost every course at AIC. Students must purchase or rent textbooks. The syllabus will provide the calendar for the assigned readings to be completed for each class.

 

Depending on the subject and the publisher’s available stock, textbooks may be in the form of new or used print copies or as digital “ebooks”. Print and digital copies may be obtained at the Campus Store in the Schwartz Campus Center or online at www.aicshop.com. Students may also shop the internet for deals however, the textbook title and edition must have the exact ISBN number as the textbook required in the syllabus.

 

Some textbooks, whether print or digital, will come with an access code for learning materials from the publisher. Upon purchase, the student will create an account. Access to these learning platforms may be used exclusively for classwork in some courses so if you don’t purchase the textbook, you cannot do the work nor will you pass the course. Beware, used textbooks purchased from the internet may no longer have this essential access code!

 

In a few select courses, textbooks may be free through Open Educational Resources (OER), OpenStax, MERLOT, Academic Earth, OpenLearn or other websites. The digital copy of the textbook will be provided in a link in the syllabus, uploaded in Canvas, or both.

 

To save money, students might be able to buy an older edition of the current textbook from the internet. It will probably require matching up the pages or chapters in the older edition to the current edition. Beware, older editions will usually not come with the access code that you may need for assigned coursework on that current edition’s learning platform.

 

These different methods of acquisition do NOT pertain to every course. To find out what is required in your course, check the syllabus. The AIC Campus Store will stock the textbooks as ordered by the professor.

 

Textbook vouchers may be issued to students with an anticipated credit balance due to awarded Student Aid. That means, the individual student has funds left in their account to purchase books and supplies (pens, paper, etc.) at the AIC Campus Store. Vouchers cannot be used to buy laptops.

 

Vouchers are requested through Student Accounts at www.aic.edu/studentaccounts However, to start that process, students need to know what textbooks they need to purchase. Go to www.aic.edu/bookstore to find the textbooks, their prices, and any shipping costs. Submit the textbook voucher request form to Student Accounts. If approved, the voucher will be forwarded to the Campus Bookstore. Please allow 24 hours for processing before trying to submit a purchase. If denied, you will be notified. Usually, the reason for denial is insufficient funds in the student’s account to cover the costs in the request.