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Library Services for Students

How to research and write ethically.

Textbooks

Textbooks are purchased online through the Harrisburg University Bookstore.

Faculty members submit orders for textbooks which are then offered for sale to students through a third party supplier. Textbooks should be available for courses by the opening of registration for each term. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Textbooks:

Does the Library Have a Copy of My Textbook?
Maybe. The Harrisburg University Library does not collect textbooks in print and textbook publishers often do not allow libraries to purchase unlimited-use electronic copies of textbooks. However the library does sometimes have copies of required texts that can be borrowed. To look up your textbook in the library, try the following:

  • Go to the A-Z Databases page. (Or use the Browse Databases link from the Library's home page.)
  • Change the second dropdown menu from "All Database Types" to "Textbooks".
  • You can then search the textbook providers that align with your program. 

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  • Internet Archive: As a last resort, texts can sometimes be found on the Internet Archive, though the reader is clunky and items cannot be downloaded or annotated.   

What If My Book Is Not in the Bookstore?
If you do not find your textbook in the Harrisburg University Bookstore, please contact your professor to verify whether the item has been ordered for the bookstore, or if there is an alternative access method for the textbook. After verifying that the book was ordered but that it is still unavailable at the bookstore, email the library at library@harrisburgu.libanswers.com.

How Do I Use a Voucher to Buy a Textbook?
If you have been approved to use a financial aid voucher to buy a textbook, it will automatically be applied to your bookstore account for the amount indicated by Financial Aid Services. Your voucher will expire two weeks after the date of approval. If you were approved for a voucher and it does not show in your bookstore account, email library@harrisburgu.libanswers.com and financialaid@harrisburgu.edu.