Bearcat Book Bundle

Bearcat Book Bundle is a course materials delivery model offered by the Willamette Bookstore for undergraduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences. The program helps simplify the process of sourcing, purchasing, and delivering books for your registered classes each semester before the first day of class.

Through this program, physical books are conveniently packaged and provided to students on a rental basis, and access to digital materials is offered directly through Canvas. Students no longer need to consider the individual book price, as the cost is a set price of $20 per registered credit hour.

All students are automatically enrolled in the bundle program, although you can opt-out. The bookstore will continue to offer course materials for purchase in addition to offering the Bearcat Book Bundle service.

How it works

• You register for classes
• One month before classes start, you will receive an email instructing you to review your courses and choose how to receive your materials
• The bookstore will prepare your course materials in a convenient package
• You will receive an email notification when your order is ready for pickup at the bookstore or when it ships, depending on your selection
• Your digital materials will be delivered within Canvas
• When your courses are over, the bookstore will send you helpful reminder emails to return your rental course materials

We are excited to offer you this convenient, affordable way for getting all your course materials!

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is Bearcat Book Bundle?

  Bearcat Book Bundle is a new program that offers students the opportunity to rent all of their coursebooks for a flat fee per credit hour.

• How much does the Bearcat Book Bundle cost?

  The program costs $20 per credit hour. There is no fee for X credits.

• What is included in the program?

  The Bearcat Book Bundle provides all required books for CAS classes, lab manuals, access codes and digital materials.

• What isn’t included?

  The program does not include consumables or non-book materials such as lab goggles, dissection kits, molecular model kits, art supplies, etc. It also doesn’t include “suggested” books.

• You say it includes all books for CAS classes? What if I’m taking a class at PNCA, or I’m in a graduate-level class?

  Only books required for undergraduate-level CAS courses are included in the book bundle program. This includes undergraduate Business classes (those with a BUS course code); 100-400 level Data Science and Computer Science classes; and LW classes (even if they have Law students co-enrolled). So if you’re enrolled in sixteen credits, but four of them are for a 500-level CS class, you’d only be billed for 12 credits worth of books; you would also, however, have to acquire your CS books on your own, and pay for them separately.

• How do I sign up for the program?

  All CAS students will automatically be enrolled in the Bearcat Book Bundle program.

• How do I pay for my books?

  The $20 per credit fee will be added to your term bill, which means you can apply your financial aid package to the cost. You will not have to pay anything additional after your arrival on campus.

• How do I actually get my books?

  Approximately one month before the start of the semester, you’ll receive an email asking if you wish to pick up your physical books in the bookstore on campus, or have them shipped to you. A second email notification will be sent when your order is ready for pickup or when it ships. E-texts will be loaded directly to the relevant course’s Canvas site.

• What if I ignore the email and don’t specify a delivery mode?

  The default will be that you may pick up your already-bundled books at the bookstore once you arrive on campus.

• What if I want to use the program for some of my classes, but not others?

  This won’t be an option—it’s all or nothing, in any given semester.

• But what about classes that have no books, or use OER texts?

  You will still be charged $20 per credit hour for all your (non-X) classes, regardless of whether or not said classes use books. It is your responsibility to figure out whether this program will be advantageous for you in any given semester.

• So what if I decide I don’t want to participate in Bearcat Book Bundle?

  This is an opt-out program. You’ll be prompted by e-mail at the beginning of every semester to specify a delivery mode for your books. If you don’t wish to participate in the bundle program, you can go to the Bearcat Book Bundle information page before the add/drop deadline and indicate that you are opting out. This is a required step to ensure that you will not be charged.

• Why do I have to do this every term? Can I just say that I want the program, or not?

  You’re asked to actively choose whether you want to participate every term because your a la carte book costs may vary dramatically depending on the classes that you’re taking, and we want you to be sure you’re making the best choice each time.

• Will the Bearcat Book Bundle save me money?

  This depends on the courses you’re taking. You will always be able to check the bookstore website to see what books have been ordered for your classes, and what their retail cost is. Barnes and Noble has calculated that the average student using the program will save 35-50% over the cost of buying their books new, as well as having the convenience of having their books ready for them on the first day of class (and paying for them through their term bill). You should do your own due diligence to determine if this is true for you, in any given semester.

• What if I don’t decide to opt out until too late, or if I miss the emails? Am I still on the hook?

  You’ll have up until the end of add/drop to opt out of the program if you don’t want it. After that, yes, you’ll have to pay the fee.

• If I never pick up my books, will I still get charged?

  Yes, if you do not opt-out, your rental books will be held at the bookstore and your student account will be charged.

• What if I opt out, then decide I want to opt in again?

  You’ll be able to do this, through the same book portal you use to opt out. Access to the portal is located on the Bearcat Book Bundle information page.

• How do I get my books if I decide to opt out of the program?

  If you opt out, you will still be able to purchase (or, in some cases, rent) your books from the campus bookstore, or buy them from any other store of your choice, but you will need to do so book by book.

• What if I change my schedule after I’ve gotten my books?

  You will be responsible for returning any physical books for courses you’ve dropped, and will be prompted by e-mail to do so. If you don’t do so within 48 hours of notification, you risk still being charged the $20 per credit hour for the dropped class. When formally added to a course, you’ll receive an email asking how you would like to receive your new books. Your term bill will be adjusted (up or down) if your overall credit hours change.

• When are my textbook rentals due back to the bookstore?

  The deadline to return all rental textbooks is the last day of finals. You will receive email reminders about the rental deadline, at your Willamette email address.

• Do I need to return my book if I’m going to just be using the same one the next semester, like in a language class?

  Yes, you will still be required to return books at the end of the term. You will be reissued the same title for the next semester of your course.

• What if I take an incomplete, and need to hold onto a book to finish my work for the class?

  Students with incompletes will be able to extend their book rentals, through the 4th week of the next semester (which is the deadline for finishing incomplete work), at no additional cost.

• Can I buy my rented textbook?

  Yes, the program provides you with the option to purchase textbooks at a reduced rate during the return period at the end of the term.

• May I write in my books?

  Within limits, yes. The bookstore will use the same standards for determining acceptable condition of rental textbooks that it uses for determining condition of books sold back as used books. Too much damage, and you will be charged a replacement fee.

• How will this work for students with accommodations?

  The bookstore can accommodate students with accessibility needs.

• What if my professor ends up not using a book that they required?

  Since students are charged a flat per-credit fee, this will not hurt you financially. You just return the text at the end of the semester, along with your other books.

• Do I get to choose whether I want hard copies or electronic copies of my books?

  In some cases yes, in others, no. Some books are not available in both formats. Professors also have the option of specifying one or the other, if they believe it is important for their students to have a particular format. Students whose accessibility plans require electronic texts will always have them available.

• For my e-texts, will I have to be logged into Canvas to read them?

  No — you will be able to read your books without an active internet connection.