Faculty Textbook Adoptions and Resources

No online system access yet? No problem. Please email us at textbook@csulb.edu to get your textbook information submitted.

All we need is your class information (e.g. ACCT 100 sections 1 and 2) along with the textbook information (Title by Author, X edition along with the ISBN if you have it).

Winter/Spring 2025

Submit/review your textbook adoptions

1. Getting Started (44 secs) 
2. Copying From Other Adoptions (1 min, 24 secs)
3. Adding Materials Manually (1 min, 24 secs)
4. Submitting Your Adoption (30 secs) 

Winter/Spring 2025: Friday, November 1, 2024

CSULB due dates are to comply with federal, state, and campus policies/guidelines.  These include HEOA, AB607, SB1359, and AS Policy 22-05.

Last Day for Changes to Ensure On-Time Arrival of Textbooks*

Spring 2025: December 21, 2024
Winter 2025: November 19, 2024

*not including publisher, shipping delays, and/or non-returnable textbooks with no sales history

Generally, it is much harder to research new textbooks for the Spring semester because there is usually not enough time during the winter break to research a new textbook. Instead, we recommend submitting any new textbook adoptions for the Fall semester. Since the Spring semester ends in May, there are two full months (June and July) to research a new textbook and notify the bookstore in time to get textbooks on the shelves by the first day of the Fall semester. 

It is always a good idea to check with your department. Many departments may already have learning objectives and syllabi set out for the class you will be teaching. Depending on the class, departments may have a list of textbooks that are currently being used or that have already been used by other faculty.

The online textbook submission system also has historical information. You can check to see if the class was taught in the past, and if so, see what textbooks were used for the class by other faculty.

Major publishers have textbooks listed on their websites where you can search for books and even request a desk copy for review. However, researching/reviewing new textbooks on your own can be a lot of work, so it may be easier to connect with a local publisher representative to help in selecting a textbook. If you would like to speak with a publisher representative, please see publisher contacts below or contact the Course Materials Office for contact information.

Many major publishers offer a variety of digital interactive learning materials (MyLab, Revel, Connect, MindTap, WebAssign, etc.). These interactive learning products are proven to increase student-learning outcomes and also provide instructor with useful teaching materials including auto-graded assignments, quizzes, and exams.

D1DA is a program at CSULB where the required course material is available digitally through BeachBoard at a discounted price.

Whether courseware or e-book, students will receive FREE access on the first day of classes. Students have until the first add/drop deadline (without W) to OPT OUT. After the opt-out deadline, any student who stays opted in will be charged to their CSULB account allowing more time to pay for the material.

For more information, please visit the Day 1 Digital Access page.

Interested in publishing your own course packets, lab manuals, or workbooks? Whether or not copyright clearance will be needed, our Copy Center can produce these for sale to your students.

For more information, please visit our Faculty Course Packets page or contact Josie.Ramirez@csulb.edu

Does your course require specific art materials? We can make them available for purchase in the Art Store.

Please contact Jazmine.Ramos@csulb.edu or call 562-985-7715.

Do your students need specific software or electronic devices such as graphing calculators? We can make them available for purchase in the University Bookstore.

Please contact Randall.McKean@csulb.edu or call 562-985-7719.

CSU’s Affordable Learning Solutions (AL$) initiative enables faculty to choose and provide more affordable, quality educational content for their students. AL$ at CSULB is a collaborative effort between Academic Technology, Bookstore Services, and the University Library. The goal of AL$ at CSULB is to lower the costs of course materials by (1) providing information and resources for “free” or “lower” cost alternatives and (2) spreading awareness through the CSULB community.

For more information, please visit the CSULB Affordable Learning Solutions page.

Textbook adoptions are due early to comply with HEOA and the CSULB Academic Senate Policy 08-11, which are essential to keeping costs down and making course materials are accessible. Also, it takes time to research all title information submitted to us (new editions, stock availability, rental eligibility, cheaper formats, used books for end-of-term buyback, etc.) in order to get books on the shelves on time.

Of course you can! We understand that there may be schedule changes or even curriculum changes. However, please know that the earlier you let us know, the better for everyone. Changing a book may result in additional costs, delays in arrival, and/or cause students to go through refunds and exchanges.

If you are not using a textbook, you still need to submit a textbook requisition with “No Text Required”. If you are using the same textbook as last semester, you still need to let us know by submitting a textbook requisition every semester.

Our order decisions are based on sales history and stock availability. Even though a class may have 50 students, we know that not all 50 students will purchase from the bookstore. Last semester, we may have sold only 15 books, which is why we decided to bring in 20 books this semester.