Textbooks and course materials
BookStore carries correct editions of all required textbooks and course materials and we do our best to provide affordable options to students by actively maintaining a price comparison campaign with other retailers.
Information for Students
Our commitment to you.
UM BookStore is owned by the University of Manitoba and operates on a cost recovery basis. BookStore profits are reinvested back into several areas around the university including education, infrastructure, research and other student activities.
Required vs. optional textbooks
Required textbooks contain necessary readings and materials chosen by your professor. Optional textbooks provide enhanced learning material related to your course, but they are not required to pass the course.
Coursepacks
Coursepacks are customized packages of articles or readings selected by your instructor and produced here on campus. Coursepacks are a popular option among professors as they reduce the number of individual books a student might otherwise have to buy.
Access codes
Access codes allow entry to enriched online resources created by textbook publishers to enhance the textbook experience. While they are not the same as e-books, access codes may include an e-book version of the textbook. If this is the case, access codes may be sold separately to students who wish to save money and are comfortable working in an online environment.
In some cases, your professor may specify to buy only one of the required textbook options, on their booklist. This usually means your textbook is available with and without a digital access code and that the access code is not required by your instructor for your course. If this is the case, you may choose to purchase:
- Textbook with access code
- Textbook only
- Access code only
- Used book
No refunds on Access codes.
Textbook rentals
Rentals are an affordable option – typically 30-45 per cent less than the purchase price –available to students at the BookStore. Contact the Fort Garry Bookstore to see which titles are available for rent.
Sponsored students
A sponsor is a third-party entity – such as a First Nations band, non-profit organization or government department – that agrees to pay the University of Manitoba BookStore for a student’s educational books and supplies.
Info for sponsors
To sponsor a student, you must fill out the course material sponsorship form (PDF) for each student you would like to sponsor and send the completed form to the BookStore by fax or email (book.sponsor@umanitoba.ca) or fax 204-474-7555.
NEW SPONSORS:
If you are a new sponsoring agency, you must complete an accounts receivable application form (PDF) and include the following with your application:
- Sponsoring agency's name, mailing address and accounts payable contact
- List of individuals (including signature sample) who are authorized to sign the course material sponsorship forms
- Two credit references and the amount of credit requested
The form should be signed by an individual who can authorize funding, typically a senior manager.
Each student will be linked to the sponsoring agency's account identified on the accounts receivable form. Sponsoring agencies will receive monthly statements that must be paid within 30 days.
Send completed forms to the BookStore via email or fax:
Email: book.sponsor@umanitoba.ca
Fax: 204-474-7555
Please note: The information outlined here applies to sponsorship of course materials only. If you would like to sponsor tuition, contact financial services for more information.
Info for sponsored students
We are committed to helping students access the resources necessary for academic success. Here is what you need to know as a sponsored student:
Your sponsorship status: Confirm with your sponsor that they have completed the necessary paperwork on your behalf. Purchases cannot be processed until your sponsor has sent the Bookstore a completed course material sponsorship form (PDF). Once your account is activated we will let your sponsor know.
Purchasing your books and/or supplies: To find out what materials are required for your courses, you can:
- refer to your class syllabus,
- log in to your Aurora account to access your booklist, or
- Visit our online store and search by course.
Then you can visit the BookStore with your Student ID/Number and shop for your textbooks. When you are ready to check-out, go to the Customer Service Desk at the front of the store and inform the clerk that you are a Sponsored Student and the eligible items will be charged to your sponsor.
Purchasing Online: Materials that are available on our website can be purchased online. You must first create an account (you cannot checkout as guest) and use your student number for payment option. Be sure that all items are eligible for coverage with your sponsor. Contact book.sponsor@umanitoba.ca for more information or click here for link to instructions (PDF).
Getting help: If you have any questions or concerns regarding your sponsorship, contact us at book.sponsor@umanitoba.ca. Please include your student ID number in the email. We want to ensure that you have the tools you need to excel in your studies.
E-textbooks
Purchasing e-textbooks
Most e-textbooks can be purchased through the BookStore, either in-store or online. When you purchase an e-textbook, the content will be delivered to you in one of several ways:
- A printed card or sales receipt containing a redemption code
- A printed card containing an access code
- An email containing a direct download link
- An email containing one or more links to access your item using a publisher or third-party e-book platform
Each format will contain instructions for accessing the content. Some e-textbooks require the use of an additional code – course ID, course key or class code – specific to your instructor and course. Your course instructor will supply this code if it is required.
E-textbooks purchased via a publisher or third-party e-book platform are usually time limited, meaning you do not own the textbook outright but are purchasing access to it for a limited period. This period can range from 150-days to life-of-edition.
No refunds on e-textbooks.
Redeeming your code (1:15)
Accessing your e-book (1:28)
Troubleshooting e-textbook issues
Below are some of the most common issues students run into with e-textbooks. If the issue you are experiencing is not listed below or if you continue to have problems accessing your e-textbook, email us at bookstore.textbooks@umanitoba.ca and we will help find a solution.
Redemption and access code issues
1. "Your redemption code has not been activated yet" error message
This message is the result of an error during the activation process. To fix this, please send an email to bookstore.textbooks@umanitoba.ca with the following:
- A photo of your in-store card (showing the redemption code) and your sales receipt
- A screenshot of the error message displayed when trying to redeem your code
Once your purchase and the cause of the error are verified, a BookStore staff member will activate your code and contact you when it is ready for redemption.
2. I redeemed my code, but have not received my e-textbook
Your e-textbook will be sent to the email you provided when redeeming the code you purchased. This email contains the information you need to access your textbook.
Steps to take:
- Double-check your email inbox.
- Check your junk or spam folders
- Check any other email accounts you use
If none of your accounts has the email, your email address may have been entered incorrectly at the time of purchase. If you think this is the case, please contact bookstore.textbooks@umanitoba.ca from the email address you think you used when you redeemed your code.
3. My access code isn’t working
Access codes are issued and maintained by publishers. If you’ve received an email containing an access code along with instructions for registering the code, contact the publisher’s technical support team.
If there is no technical support team contact listed, contact bookstore.textbooks@umanitoba.ca from the address you think you used when you redeemed your code, and we will do our best to help.
BibliU e-reader issues
1. Accessing e-book purchases
Step-by-step instructions for accessing your UM BookStore / Campus eBookstore purchase.
2. My e-book is not loading
Try taking these steps if your e-book does not load in your BibliU e-reader.
Adobe Digital Edition (ADE) e-reader issues
1. My password is incorrect and I cannot authorize my ADE e-reader.
You will receive this error message if you’ve entered a password different from the one you used when you entered your redemption code to confirm the purchase of your e-textbook. If you can remember this password, attempt to authorize your ADE with it.
If you do not know this password, you will have to request a password reset through the campus e-bookstore using the same email you entered with your redemption code to confirm purchase of your e-textbook.
2. “E_ADEPT_REQUEST_EXPIRES” error message.
This issue is caused by a discrepancy between the time, date and/or time zone information on your device not matching up with the actual time when you are attempting to download your e-text.
If this is happening, review the time, date and time zone settings on your device and correct any discrepancies before re-attempting the download
3. “Adobe DRM client error 706” or “Adobe DRM client error 422” error message.
These error messages are typically the result of web accelerator software running on your device. Web accelerator software is known to interfere with the verification stage of the downloading process.
To fix this error, temporarily disable any web accelerator software before restarting the download.
4. “Fulfilled by another user” error message
There are two common causes of this issue:
- You already have the e-textbook opened on another device
- You authorized the ADE e-reader without using Campus eBookStore as the designated vendor
If you already have the e-textbook opened on another device, refer to Adobe’s information on content portability for possible solutions.
If you authorized the ADE e-reader without using Campus eBookStore as the designated vendor you will need to:
- De-authorize and re-authorize ADEs
- Re-download your e-textbook
De-authorizing
For Windows:
- Choose Start > Run
- In the Open text box, type regedit and then press Enter. The Registry Editor opens
- In the left pane of the Registry Editor, locate the following registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe\Adept
- Right-click the Adept key (folder) and choose Delete
- In the Confirm Key Delete dialog, click OK
For Mac:
- Open Adobe Digital Editions
- Press Cmd-Shift-D to de-authorize Adobe Digital Editions
- Select Erase Authorization
- Click OK and quit Adobe Digital Editions
- Navigate to /Users/[[Your user account]]/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Digital Editions and drag the activation.dat file to the trash. ADE is now de-authorized
If for some reason you cannot navigate to the activation.dat file (Mac OS X 10.7 and later), please try the following:
- Go to the Finder menu
- Hold down the Option (Alt) key and select Go. This reveals the hidden user library
- Select Library
- Go to Application Support/Adobe/Digital Editions and delete the file named “activation.dat”
Re-authorizing
- Click on the link to your e-textbook (from your product instruction email). ADE should prompt you to authorize automatically.
- If you do not get the prompt to authorize and you have issues opening the book, then click Help > Authorize to start the process manually.
- Use Campus eBookstore (as the Vendor ID) and your Campus eBookstore credentials (email address and password used to redeem your digital material).
Once you have de-authorized and re-authorized your ADE, you can re-download the book from the campus e-book store.
Online orders and shipping information
Thinking about ordering a textbook online? These are answers to some of the most common questions we receive from students.
Order pickup and shipping times
Online orders are processed as they are received.
If you’ve placed an order for pickup, you will receive an email when your order is ready. During our busy seasons (September, January and May) it may take up to five days for your order to be ready for pickup.
If you’ve placed an order to be shipped, please note that shipping times are dependent on the destination and shipping method. Mail carrier volume and delays can also impact shipping time.
Order pending
If you’ve placed an order and received an order pending email, there is likely an issue with the billing address provided. Please check the information you provided for accuracy and send an email to bso@umanitoba.ca with your order number included.
Backordered items
If you’ve received an email that your items have been backordered, it means we’re out of stock and your order will be fulfilled once we receive the backorder. If you wish to cancel the backordered items, email your order number and request to cancel to bso@umanitoba.ca.
Cancelled orders on used textbooks
If you’ve selected ‘used only’ when ordering textbooks online and we do not have any in-stock, your order will be cancelled.
If you would like to purchase a new copy, you can reorder the textbook. If you don’t have a preference between new or used textbooks, consider checking ‘allow for substitutions’ when submitting orders.
Order changes and missing items
If you need to make a change to an order you’ve placed or if there are items missing from your order, email your order number and details to bso@umanitoba.ca.
Our online store accepts Visa, Mastercard, pre-paid credit cards and BookStore gift cards. If you do not have a credit card to pay for online orders and cannot come to the store to pay, contact bso@umanitoba.ca and we will do our best to help find an alternative.
Used textbooks and buyback
We work with faculty to re-adopt textbooks, which allows us to offer a used textbook market in as many courses as possible. Each year, we return hundreds of dollars to UM students through our textbook buyback program.
The dates for our BuyBack program will be announced on our homepage and our Instagram. Up to 50% of new book price will be offered for confirmed textbooks adopted for upcoming terms.
Used textbooks
We offer used textbooks on our shelves, right next to new textbooks. They cost 25 per cent less and are tax exempt. And YES: you can sell back your highlighted used texts through our seasonal in-person BuyBack program or online.
New and used textbooks pricing table
|
|
New textbook |
Used textbook |
|
Purchase cost |
$100 |
$75 |
|
GST |
$5 |
$0 |
|
Total |
$105 |
$75 |
|
Return at buyback |
$50 |
$50 |
|
Net cost of book |
$55 |
$25 |
Sell used textbooks
Used textbooks are non-refundable, however you may be able to sell them online if your book is not eligible for buyback through BookStore.
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Contact us
UM BookStore
140 UMSU University Centre
University of Manitoba (Fort Garry campus)
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Canada