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Renting Textbooks (Graduate Students)

This guide shares a number of alternatives to purchasing textbooks

Library Books and Reserves

U.S. academic libraries don’t usually buy textbooks as these materials are highly specialized and go out of date very quickly. So, be careful, because if we do own a copy of your textbook it can be an older edition than the one your professor has chosen for your class. Also, even if we own your textbook, you will not be able to check out the book for the entire semester.


Check the front desk at your Pepperdine library to See if Your Professor Made a Copy of Your Textbook Available

Sometimes professors put a copy of the class textbook on Reserve for you at the Library’s circulation desk.   Generally, Reserve Books are available for a 2-hour check out, and must be used in the Library.

Search the Library’s Catalog for Your Textbook

You can search the library’s catalog by title or author name or ISBN number to see if the book is available.  Again, chances are you will not be able to check it out for the entire semester.

Photocopiers are available

Every Pepperdine campus library has a photocopier/scanner available for student use.

Pepperdine Bookstore

The Pepperdine Bookstore sells and rents most of the textbooks for your classes.

Inter Library Loan (ILL)

Requesting textbooks through Interlibrary Loan is NOT recommended.  Many libraries will not lend them, since most libraries keep textbooks on reserve for their own patrons. Additionally, books borrowed through ILL are for short-term use only. Loan periods usually are for three to four weeks.  Therefore, it is not possible to keep a book borrowed through ILL for an entire semester.

Internet Classics Archives

Internet Classics Archive Select from a list of 441 works of classical literature by 59 different authors, including user-driven commentary and "reader's choice" Web sites. Mainly Greco-Roman works (some Chinese and Persian), all in English translation.
http://classics.mit.edu/