Sustainable Learning for Students

• Canvas - Syllabus:  Once you have access to your Canvas Courses, you may find textbook information in the Syllabus tab or in your course Modules. Also check your Canvas Inbox to see if your professor has provided the textbook information in the form of a class-wide message or announcement. 
• Cal Poly Humboldt Class Schedules: Cal Poly Humboldt class schedules give students a links leading to required textbooks in the bookstore. This information can be used for lower cost option research.
• The MyHumboldt Portal: Log in to see announcements, and find course information. Your text/materials listings may be on information provided by your faculty in your Student Center page.
• Cal Poly Humboldt Bookstore - Get Your Textbooks: Use the Cal Poly Humboldt Bookstore "Find My Materials" and search by your student ID or courses. This is a quick way to find all of your materials with critical identifying information.
• Cal Poly Humboldt Faculty Directory: If you have a hard time finding this information, contact your faculty directly. Look them up in the Faculty Directory. Send them a quick note, or give them a quick call, asking what materials are needed for your course. Suggest that they send you an email with the exact information for use later. 

Start your search: 

Go to all likely spots: Student resource spots like the library or student services can help, when lower cost text/materials may not be easy to find. 

Where can I compare costs and access to each item? Where can I find free texts/materials? 

• Check Slug Books or Cheapest Textbooks: sites that find/compare many options across the internet. 
• Look it up! Do a quick online search to get more information about your text or material. This will give you a broad look at where it may or may not be located for use, how much it might cost, and more. 
• Google Play - Is there a sample? This is a great way to get started with a few chapters of the book, while you look for a low cost option. Sometimes, you may even find the whole book available, or a used/older edition for free.
• Internet Archive: The Internet Archive is a free, public library of multimedia materials even including books. Checkout periods are either 2 weeks or 1 hour depending on the work. This option requires a free account. 
• Cal Poly Humboldt Library - Textbooks on Reserve: 95% of textbooks are held in the library and available for free for 4-hour checkout periods. Not finding your textbook? You can request it using the Course Reserve Request Form. 
• Cal Poly Humboldt Library - eBooks: Search eBooks to see if your text/material is on file at the Library for free use. Some eBooks only have a few copies while others are unlimited. When you find your book, share that information with your faculty and fellow students.
• Cal Poly Humboldt Library - Collections: physical copies of textbooks are sometimes available through the library's main collection for longer checkout periods (16 weeks). Always search and see if your course materials may be available.
• Cal Poly Humboldt Bookstore: Find used versions, rentals and more at a discounted price. Some scholarships may provide discounts or reimbursement if you buy your texts at the bookstore. 
• Student Life Resources: Check out all resource offices available to students. They may offer help, ideas, or resource sharing to get you texts/materials at lower costs.
• Cal Poly Humboldt Departments: Go to your college department. Ask them what resources are available for lower cost texts/materials. Making this a known issue helps!
• Library Resource Sharing: Use the Resource Sharing Request Form to get an electronic .pdf copy of a specific chapter. It is unlikely that your request for a full text physical copy will be fulfilled for traditional textbooks. There are also limits to how many chapters or how much of the text that can be shared through Resource Sharing due to copyright. 
• Humboldt County Libraries: You can borrow through the local Humboldt public libraries (or your hometown library) with digital access like Libby (requires a free public library card).
• Class Book Swap: Find students who have already taken your class and bought their textbook. They may be open to swap if you have a leftover book from one of their courses.