Typically, rental textbooks are due on the last day of the semester. This year, the bookstore has modified their policies after all in-person classes were moved online for the Winter 2020 semester.

The initial date for returning textbooks was Friday, April 24. The new date for returning rental textbooks is Monday, June 15. With the Oakland Center (OC) now transformed into a space for COVID-19 relief, students are encouraged to send their textbooks through the mail.

A free UPS return label is offered on the Barnes & Noble Oakland website which students use to purchase textbooks. Up to eight free labels are available per student. Students who need additional help can email [email protected].

Any student without a printer can reach out to the same email and they will receive a return slip through the mail.

In addition to a later due date for textbooks, the date of which students are penalized for late returns is pushed back until Friday, Sept. 4. Once books are returned and checked back in, students will receive an automated email confirming their returns.

For Summer 2020 textbook rentals, purchases can still be made on the Barnes & Noble website and books will be shipped to the student’s home. The orders will be shipped out within 48 hours of being placed.

The OU bookstore is preparing in advance for a potential textbook shortage for the Fall 2020 semester. The due date for fall book adoptions is Friday, May 1, but the bookstore is preparing for a delay because some classes are currently without professors.

With some publishers shutting down, the bookstore is also preparing for a shortage, although there have been no issues yet. Currently, the staff is looking at sourcing as many textbooks as possible with the news cycle consistently changing.

If students run into any issues, they are encouraged to email [email protected].