Textbook Reservation
Textbook Reservation is a service that El Corral Bookstore offers for the Fall Term in two sessions: Week-of-Welcome and Back-to-School. Choose the session with the more convenient pick-up dates. Week-of-Welcome Pick-Up: Sunday & Monday, September 11 & 12. Back-to-School Pick-Up: Saturday & Sunday, September 17 & 18.
What are the benefits of Textbook Reservation?
- Convenience: : We do the work of shopping for your textbooks. You avoid the crowds and lines. If you select the prepaid backorders option, we search for the books that are not on the shelves when we process the reservation.
- Savings: USED is 25% less than NEW. Using our staff, you shop our huge inventory of USED books ahead of the crowd.
How does Textbook Reservation work?
- On-Line Sign-Up: You need a Cal Poly Student customer account that you create at this website. You may create this account when prompted to log in for Textbook Reservation Sign-Up. When you sign up, a) you select a reservation session; b) you give us your payment information; c) you give us your instructions and preferences for processing your reservation; and d) you list the classes for which you want to reserve textbooks.
- In-Store Processing: When on-line sign-up ends, we start processing reservations the next day. We print a pick-list that matches your classes with their books. This pick-list includes your reservation instructions and preferences. We pick your reservation from our shelves and box it. We label your box for storage and later pick-up. We charge the picked reservation to your credit card, debit card, or Campus Express Club account. If you accept prepaid backorders, the charge could include items not in your box. When we charge your reservation, we alert you by e-mail of the total charge.
- On-Campus Pick-Up: You pick-up your reservation on campus, usually the weekend before the first week of classes. Your reservation box includes the pick-list, itemized sales invoice, Q & A tri-fold, and a bookmark with the textbook returns policy.
What are my reservation payment options?
- Textbook Reservation Pick-Up is quick and easy when reservations are prepaid. For that reason, we need to charge your reservation as soon as we pick it. You can prepay your reservation with a credit card, debit card, Campus Express Club account, or Cal Poly Gift Card. With a gift card, we still need an account to charge if the gift card's value is less than the reservation's total cost. When you sign up, Textbook Reservation Sign-Up validates your credit card or debit card by requesting approval of a $1 charge that we never submit for settlement. If that charge appears on your statement, it should be reversed within seven days.
- Do you need to delay payment until pick-up or the receipt of financial aid funds? Please contact Customer Service for assistance. Use the link below.
What are my reservation instructions and preferences?
- Required & Recommended: REQUIRED is automatically selected. We give you RECOMMENDED only if you select RECOMMENDED.
- New or Used: You must select either NEW or USED. If you select NEW, we give you USED when NEW is unavailable. If you select USED, we give you NEW when USED is unavailable.
- Print or Digital: You must select either PRINT or DIGITAL. PRINT could be a book, CD, or DVD. DIGITAL is an access code or license key for a material that you view or download on-line. If you select PRINT, we give you DIGITAL when PRINT is unavailable. If you select DIGITAL, we give you PRINT when DIGITAL is unavailable.
- Buy or Rent: RENT is no longer a Textbook Reservation option. You must select BUY to proceed with sign-up. For more information about Textbook Rental, click on "Textbook Rental" in the left index.
- Prepaid Backorders: You must accept or refuse PREPAID BACKORDERS. You may prepay the backorder of textbooks not in stock when we pick your reservation. For details about prepaid backorders (i.e., Shop Once Service) click on "Textbook Prepayment" in the left index.
- Textbook Reservation allows one set of instructions and preferences for your reservation.
Is on-line sign-up easy?
- Textbook Reservation Sign-Up previews the process and displays your progress. You will have questions the first time you sign up, but answers are just a click away. It is easiest when you are prepared and follow the on-screen instructions. To be prepared, have at hand your class schedule and your credit card, debit card, or PolyCard. We need the PolyCard ISO Number (printed on the card below your name) to charge your reservation to your Campus Express Club account.
Textbook Reservation Calendar
Textbook Reservation Questions
Textbook Reservation Sign-Up
Contact Customer Service