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BookSmart

A Smart Approach to College Textbooks

As a college student, you have to have textbooks, but you don’t have to pay full price. EKU BookSmart offers discounted textbooks and a delivery method that couldn’t be easier. Textbooks and course materials are provided at $26 per credit hour. That’s about $780 per year, providing a significant discount from the national average of $1,250 per year for textbooks.

It’s easy to take advantage of this program:

  • Register for classes.
  • Pick up your Big E Box filled with your required books from the EKU Bookstore or have it delivered to your doorstep at no additional cost.
  • Study hard, then return your books at the end of the semester using the provided pre-paid return label.

You may be eligible to use federal, state and institutional aid and loans to cover the cost. Check with Big E Central to know your options. You can also opt out of BookSmart if you want to buy your textbooks elsewhere.

EKU BookSmart FAQs

If you have questions about the new EKU BookSmart program that aren’t answered here, please call the Barnes & Noble @ EKU Bookstore at 859-622-2696.

Because of federal financial aid changes, EKU BookSmart is transitioning from providing free textbooks to offering a discounted textbook rate to all students at EKU, starting Fall 2026. Everything else that you love about BookSmart stays the same.

Beginning with the Fall 2026 school year, changes to federal financial aid programs as part of Title IV of the Higher Education Act will take effect. Financial aid eligibility is measured in part with the cost of attendance in mind. With the new law, students whose cost of attendance is covered under various programs, such as BookSmart, risk losing some or all of their financial aid. Offering BookSmart at cost, however, will not cause a potential reduction in federal student aid.

Textbooks and course materials are provided at $26 per credit hour. That’s about $780/year, providing a significant discount from the national average of $1,250 per year for textbooks.

Textbook charges from EKU’s Barnes & Noble Bookstore will be placed on your bill through Student Accounting. You may be eligible to use aid to cover the costs. Make sure you’ve completed your FAFSA, and completed Title IV Authorization in myEKU. You can then check with Big E Central.

Yes. You may be eligible to use federal, state and institutional aid and loans to cover the cost. Consult with Big E Central to find out what aid you may have available to cover your textbooks.

No. EKU BookSmart is a textbook rental program. Textbooks will be on loan for use throughout the semester, but must be returned to the Barnes & Noble @ EKU Bookstore at the end of the semester. There will be an opportunity to purchase textbooks you want to keep at a discounted price.

Yes. You may mark or highlight in these textbooks.

The book format is selected by faculty during the course scheduling process. This is the format that will be delivered to students.

Please visit the Digital and Physical Books Request website to make this request.

Contact the Barnes and Noble @ EKU Bookstore.

Yes. You may pick up your textbooks in the bookstore instead of having them delivered to you. During the confirmation process that will be sent to you via email students will select their preferred delivery method.

You have the option to purchase your books from Barnes & Noble at a discounted rate at the end of the semester.

Please take care of your textbooks on loan and return them at the end of the semester. You are responsible for these textbooks and if you do not return your textbooks no later than the 14th day after the end of the academic semester, you will be charged in accordance with the terms and conditions of the textbook loan agreement. Students who have not returned their books will not be allowed to participate in the BookSmart program the following semester.

Yes. One-time use codes and/or access codes will be included in your Big E Box.

No. Textbooks that are designated as “recommended” will not be included as part of your Big E Box.

No. Your Big E Box will be shipped to you free of charge. You’ll also get a return shipping label to cover shipping costs when it’s time to send back your books at the end of the semester.

Yes. The BookSmart discount is now extended to dual credit students. This is not a mandatory fee; students have the option to opt out of BookSmart.

Yes, if you choose to purchase your books yourself, you may opt out of EKU BookSmart by selecting the Opt Out option during the registration process. EKU will not provide your textbooks and course materials if you opt out of EKU BookSmart.