Parkland Bookstore Frequently Asked Questions

Store Information

What are your store hours?
We are open Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm. If Parkland College is closed for a holiday, we are also closed for holiday. For 8 weeks in the summer, typically June-July, we are closed on Fridays.

Where are you located?
We are located in the student union. If you are coming in from Bradley, the best parking lot is the third left in, parking lot B. If you are coming in from Mattis, make a left once you reach Parkland Way, and then the first right into parking lot B.

Why do you sell looseleaf textbooks and not bound books?
Publishers have made the choice to sell unbound, looseleaf textbooks because it is less expensive. It is also becoming more common to use access codes to have access to ebooks instead of textbooks. Access codes can only be used once and have a time limit, usually 4 months, sometimes 1 year from activation.

Do you buy back books? When does Book Buyback happen?
Book Buyback is always done during finals week. We don't know what books are accepted until that week begins. Feel free to bring in any kind of book, not just textbooks, and we can check to see if our third-party buyer will buy them back from you.

What is your return policy?
16 week classes have up to two weeks after the start date of the class for all class-related materials. 8 week classes have up to one week after the start date of the class for all class related materials. We are unable to accept returns after two weeks because our policy is in-sync with class drop dates. Please keep this in mind when dropping classes.

Textbook Information

Can I order my books for the next semester?
It's not a good idea. Books tend to change between semesters, and we can't guarantee that books purchased in the Spring semester will be the correct books for the Fall semester. We also are unable to accept returns outside of the semester that the books were purchased in.

It's the first day of class and I still don't have my textbooks!
Take a deep breath. Exhale. It's going to be okay. It is very, very rare that you would need 100% of your materials on the first day of class. It's a good idea to start class first, confirm your materials, and then come in to obtain what you need. Also, if the bookstore hasn't received items from the publisher and you received an email about a backorder, you are not the only student who will not have that item on the first day of class.

I purchased a book from a different retailer but it doesn't have the code I need for my class. Do you sell the code separately?
Typically, the answer is no. You should be able to purchase the code directly from the publisher's website. Your instructor should have more information about where to find the code.

How can I purchase a used book?
If there is a used option, the 'Used' button will be active, and you will be able to add it to your cart. If the 'Used' button is inactive, there are no used books available. Used books are not as common as they used to be due to so many books being ebooks.

What is an access code?
Access codes give the student access to an online portal where modules and activities can be assigned by the instructor. Access codes will typically include ebook access as well. Not every instructor uses access codes, but if they do, they will have the information you need on their syllabus.

Online Order Informaton

I placed my order on the first day of class and I still haven't received my books.
If you need your books ASAP, the fastest way to get them is to have your schedule and come into the store. We can help you locate your books. Online orders are completed in the sequence they are received, so if you placed your order on the day first of class, it can take up to 48 hours to fulfill your order due to the volume of orders received.

I placed an order x amount of days ago and it's still not ready. What should I do?
If you placed your order a few weeks before class starts: We are still waiting for all of the books to arrive. We order them the last week of the previous semester and receive them daily over the course of the next couple of weeks. If you ordered class materials that have not arrived in the bookstore yet, you may receive a partial order and the remaining items will be added and charged when they arrive at the bookstore.

If you placed your order the weekend before the start date of class, or the week of the first day of class: please be patient while we process orders. Due to the high volume of orders, it takes a bit longer to process.

I'm trying to order my books but I can't add them to the cart.
As we prepare for the next semester, items may be in "view only" mode. Please be patient and as soon as the semester is active, usually around three weeks before the first class start date, you will be able to place items in your cart and complete your order. It is also worth noting, it is very rare that you would need your books the first day of class. We recommend students begin class first to confirm what materials are necessary, and then come into the bookstore and go from there.

I placed an online order for an access code and haven't received an email with the code.
Access codes are on cards that have a scratch-off box with the access code underneath the foil. The process is the same as if you purchased a textbook for pick-up or shipping. If you would like, you can leave a comment when checking out to request the code be emailed to you. Please note, that once we scracth off the foil to reveal the code to email it, you will not be eligible for a refund, regardless of whether you use it or not.

I ordered a book but the status says 'Backorder, will ship asap'
This means we don't currently have the book in stock. This is likely due to publisher delays. Once we begin ordering books for a semester, we receive books daily and the process can take some time. Thank you for your patience.

I'm getting a message that says a textbook is unavailable at this time when attempting to purchase a book for a specific course number and section.
The most likely scenario is that there is no textbook for this class. If you discover that there should be an option, please contact us and let us know.

How do I know what books I need for my classes?
Pull up your schedule on selfserv.parkland.edu and login with your Parkland credentials. Locate the Academics drop down menu on the left-hand sidebar. Click Student Planning and then Plan & Schedule. Your schedule is on the left side of the reader pane. Notice the Course (the three abbreviated letters of the class name), the course number (the first number after the course name), and the section number (the numbers and/or letter combination after the course number). Now that you have your schedule, you can click the Textbook option on the parklandbookstore website and fill out the form accordingly. The section is very important as different sections can have completely different textbooks.

Financial Aid and Bookstore Voucher Information

I used financial aid as a form of payment and placed my order awhile ago and I still haven't received it. What should I do?
You should have received an email from the Bookstore telling you if Financial Aid was unavailable, or you may not have had enough to cover the cost of your items order. Please check your SPAM folder. Please feel free to call the bookstore for more information about your order. You can call the Financial Aid Office for more information on your financial aid status.

I need to use financial aid, but it's not an option in the drop-down menu.
Financial aid becomes available three weeks before class starts, and ends four weeks after class starts. If it's not an option, it is unavailable.

Can I purchase clothing or supplies using financial aid?
Yes. If you are shopping in-store, you must have your physical ID to make purchases.

How do I get a bookstore voucher?
Bookstore vouchers are available for students utilizing state-funded programs like SWFT or WIOA, or sometimes even an employer that is sponsoring their employees. The financial aid office would have more information about these programs.

How can I contact you if my question wasn't answered?
You can reach us at bookstore@parkland.edu or our phone number at 217.351.2212