View of Saint Joseph Hall, a stone building with terra cotta roof tiles, through the trees

Griffin Textbook Direct

All Your Textbooks Delivered in One Fell Swoop – Direct to Your Door!

Thanks to a new partnership between Chestnut Hill College and Barnes and Noble, renting your textbooks for classes is easier and more affordable than ever!

While Griffins are known for flying, through Griffin Textbook Direct, your books will fly to you. All you have to do is register for your classes, select your required course material, and let us do the rest. No longer will students need to buy books individually as through Griffin Textbook Direct, all of your books will be available to you for one low flat rate (just $375 per semester!)* no matter what the cost of each textbook or digital textbook would have cost to purchase on its own. This means students are receiving huge savings on their course materials.

*Note: Griffin Textbook Direct charges $25 per credit. The cost of $375 is for the average student that takes 15 credits.

So… How does it work?

Griffin Textbook Direct is simple and requires just a few steps for each student.

1. Register for Class. Each semester, full-time students in the School of Undergraduate Studies will be automatically enrolled in the program, meaning all you have to do to reap the benefits is register for class. After you successfully register for your courses, the bookstore will begin preparing the needed materials.

Note: Accessible format textbooks are available to students with accommodations. Eligibility and requests are made through the Center for Accessibility and Learning Services.

2. Verify your order. Starting 30 days before the first day of classes, all students will receive an order verification link through email notifying them of their order and allowing them to select a delivery preference. Options include in-store pick-up or direct ship-to-home. Students are asked to verify their order at least one week before the first day of classes to ensure timely delivery of materials.

3. Receive your textbooks. Before the first day of classes, students will receive an email notification when their books are available for pick-up or when they have been shipped to the address you provided. Any digital course materials will also be delivered at this time within Canvas.

4. Return your textbooks. All textbooks must be returned before the last day of finals. Students will receive email reminders about the rental deadline to their CHC email address. Books can be returned during business hours to the campus bookstore, which is located on the basement floor of St. Joseph Hall. If you fail to return your books, your account will be sent to campus collections for further steps.

Payment and Opt-In/Opt-Out

Payment

Griffin Textbook Direct will appear as a program fee on your student account. The charge can be paid through financial aid or as an out-of-pocket expense. If you enroll in a payment plan, the charge will be included in your payment plan calculation. This program does not include non-returnable supplies such as lab goggles, nursing kits, and other exclusions. This program is a rental program, however, you will have the option to purchase your rental book at a reduced rate during the return period. If you have a continuation course, you will still need to return your textbook as you will be re-issued the same book for the following semester of the course.

Opt-In/Opt-Out

All students are automatically enrolled in Griffin Textbook Direct upon registering for courses. And while we encourage all students to take advantage of this flexible and cost-saving program, we understand that it may not be right for everyone. If you do not wish to participate, you will need to opt-out every semester. The window to opt out for Fall 2026 is between August 17, 2026 through September 14, 2026.

You can opt out or back in for any semester based on your needs during the opt-out window. To opt out, visit the opt-out page. After opting out, you will receive an email confirming your decision and you will be responsible for acquiring any required course materials. Access to any digital materials provided in Canvas will be removed after the opt-out window closes.

If you opt-out, the last date to opt back in for Fall 2026 is September 14, 2026. You can log in and change your program status for Fall 2026, beginning on August 17, 2026.

Availability to change status differs by semester. Check your emails for additional information on each semester’s opt-in and opt-out dates.