Renting textbooks means paying a lower 'rental fee' upfront and returning the materials at the end of the semester.
Renting can be a great way to save money; but remember that keeping the books or selling them at buyback are not options for rented materials.

Returning Rentals

Upcoming Rental Deadlines by Semester:

Summer 23 - Friday, August 25, 2023 by 3PM.

Fall 23 - Wednesday, December 20, 2023 by 3PM.

Students have two options for returning rental books to us, as outlined below:
OPTION ONE - In-person drop off:
  1) Bring your rental book(s) to us at the Bookstore. Student ID required.

OPTION TWO - Mail in:
  1) Ship your rental book(s) to us at the following address:
                      UMBC Bookstore
                      Attn: Rental Book Return
                      1000 Hilltop Circle
                      Baltimore, MD 21250
  2) Make sure you include within your shipment a note with your name, contact info (email and/or phone number), and your Student ID.
  3) We recommend UPS as the delivery method as we get daily shipments from them. You may also use USPS, but please note that this will delay the Bookstore's receipt of your items since they will have to be routed first to the campus mail room.
  4) Books MUST be received by the Bookstore rental deadline. Plan accordingly.

Email textbook@umbc.edu with any questions.

Requirements

• Current UMBC ID required.
• Student must be 18 years old or older
• Must be able to return materials by the due date

Rules

• All rentals are for one semester
• By renting, customers are bound by the 'Rental Agreement' which may be found here as well as in the store.
• Textbooks must be free from any damage, including liquid stains, upon return.
• Highlighting and cribbing is acceptable as long as it is not excessive and workbooks cannot be filled in.
• Textbooks must have no missing pages or covers and loose-leaf books must include both the front and back covers.
• Failure to return the book in acceptable condition before the due date will result in a charge to the customer's University Account for the replacement price of the book.
• Currently the replacement price is equal to the new retail purchase price minus the rental price.

What Can Be Rented

Course materials may be rented when a rental price is listed next to the item online. See the example below. If a rental price is not given, that item may not be available to rent. UMBC Bookstore currently has over 1000 titles available as rentals.