The average annual cost of textbooks for students is about $1200. For students already struggling to cover tuition or living expenses, it can be difficult, if not impossible, to afford textbooks as well.
Otterbein offers a number of ways to help students with textbook expenses. Scroll down for some of these options!
Courtright Memorial Library has several options to assist students with textbook costs.
The library runs a Course Reserve program wherein it purchases high-cost textbooks each semester for high-enrollment courses. These textbooks are held on reserve behind the circulation desk, and students can ask at the desk for the specific textbook they need to borrow. Loan periods are generally for 2 hours.
To find out if a course has textbooks on reserve, students can check the library's website. On the homepage, just above the OneSearch bar, is a tab for Course Reserves.
Students can search either by Course Number, Instructor, or Keyword to find out if textbooks are on reserve, and if they are on reserve, whether they're checked out or not. Students can also contact the library via text, email, phone, or chat to find out if the textbooks they need are on reserve.
Through the Course Reserve program, students can go an entire semester without needing to purchase an expensive textbook, simply by checking out the textbook instead and doing any needed reading or question sets during the checkout period.
If a needed textbook is not on course reserve, students can use the OneSearch bar to see if another library has them. Through Courtright Memorial Library's membership in the OhioLINK and SearchOhio consortia, students have access to titles at hundreds of academic and public libraries. These titles can be borrowed for free with a Cardinal Card.
The Friends of the Otterbein University Courtright Memorial Library group have created a Textbook Affordability endowment fund. This became fully vested in 2021 and provides the library with around $1000 a year to purchase textbooks for course reserve.
While the library cannot purchase every textbook for every course each semester, students who find that their textbooks are not on reserve can request that they be added. At the start of each semester, a clipboard at the Circulation desk has a form that students can add requested titles to. Library staff will make a determination on adding the title to course reserve based on funds available and other determining factors.
The Promise House can offer mini-grants to Otterbein students as a result of generous donor funds. Students experiencing financial need can apply for up to $300 in mini grants (max $75 per grant) per year.
These grants can be used for:
These grants cannot be used for:
Exceptions can be granted to the $300/year limit in special circumstances. To apply for a mini-grant, submit your application here.
Student Affairs Fund - grant
Nigel Chatman Student Emergency Fund - grant
Kroger Book Loan - loan
eTexts - VitalSource.com, good price and accessibility features
Talk to professor - they might have a spare or loaner
Otterbein textbook marketplace on Facebook
Textbook scholarships online