Fall semester is in the air which indicates new beginnings for all students, especially freshmen and transfer students.

Two aspects that are not new, however, are Eastern’s textbooks and their rental procedure.

Textbook Rental Service has provided a few tips regarding their services on their website including using student email accounts to communicate with the rental service, bringing a Panther Card and a copy of textbook pick-up information when picking up textbooks and checking all of the textbooks students will be using to see if they are damaged.

If a textbook is damaged it should be reported to a Textbook Rental staff member as soon as possible. Students who wait too long to report damages may be charged.

Students can verify which books are checked out to them instantly. This information can be accessed through PAWS by choosing the Textbook Rental heading under the Student tab.

Christina Coffey, head of Textbook Rental Service, said students could use this same information to determine and identify textbooks for each class.

Students should return textbooks from dropped or withdrawn courses within two business days of the drop or withdrawal to avoid charges including the price of the textbooks, a $20 per book late fine and a $20 per book non-refundable processing fee.

“The timely return of these textbooks results in adequate quantities for those students who have added courses,” Coffey said.

People can also purchase their textbooks at a discounted rate during the designated sales period.

“Textbooks are depreciated with use and these savings are passed along to our students.  By purchasing textbooks during the sales periods, students can receive the lowest prices and this allows ample time for the ordering of replacements,” Coffey said. “This is truly the best of both worlds. Rent your textbooks, evaluate their benefit, purchase those that will be a part of your permanent library, and return all others by the designated deadline.”

Those who wish to purchase their books can pay with Visa, MasterCard, Discover, checks that are payable to Eastern Illinois University, cash or students may authorize to bill their individual student account, according to Text Book Rental Service’s webpage.

Additionally, textbooks can be returned at any time during the semester or term prior to the deadline, with no penalty, with the exception of those associated with dropped or withdrawal courses.

If students have any other questions they can contact Textbook Rental Service at 217-581-3626 or at textbks@eiu.edu.

Molly Dotson can be reached at 581-2812 or madotson@eiu.edu