The Undergraduate Student Government (USG) Textbook Drive is designed to help University of Iowa students save money on course materials by providing free textbooks each semester. Thanks to generous donations from students, we're able to give textbooks a second life while making higher education more affordable for fellow Hawkeyes.
Free textbooks donated by fellow students are available each semester on a first-come, first-served basis. Availability is limited, so we recommend checking the catalog early in the term.
Distribution
How It Works
Browse our online inventory of available textbooks. If you find a book you need, stop by one of our drop-in pickup hours at the Main Library, 5th Floor, Study Room #5049 to pick up your textbook(s). Our online inventory is updated every other day to provide the most accurate list of available books.
If you would like to confirm that a textbook is still available before making the trip, please email usg-txtbkdr@uiowa.edu.
Find a textbook
Drop In Hours
| Date | Time | ||
| Aug. 25 | 2PM- 5PM | ||
| Aug. 26 | 8:30AM - 10AM & 2PM - 3PM | ||
| Aug. 27 | 2PM - 4PM | ||
| Aug. 28 | 12PM - 2:30PM | ||
| Aug. 31 | 8:30AM - 10AM & 11:30AM - 1PM | ||
| Sep. 1 | 10AM - 11:30AM | ||
| Sep. 2 | 2PM - 3PM & 5PM - 6PM | ||
| Sep. 4 | 11AM - 12PM | ||
| Sep. 8 | 3:30PM - 5PM | ||
| Sep 9. | 10:30AM - 11:30AM | ||
| Sep. 10 | 8:30AM - 10AM |
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the pick up guidelines?
- Students may receive up to five textbooks per semester.
- Open to all undergraduate and graduate students.
- A valid Iowa One Card is required at pickup.
- You do not need to be enrolled in a specific course to request a textbook.
- Textbooks must be picked up in person; we are unable to ship books.
What if the times don't work for me?
Reach out to Rachel, our Director of Academic Affairs to figure out a time that
works.
If you schedule a time and then cannot make it, please let us know. If you do not
let us know, we will not schedule another time.
Can I reserve a textbook?
Textbooks are available on a first-come, first-served basis. If you would like to
check whether a book is still available before visiting, please email usgtxtbkdr@uiowa.edu.
What if I can't find the textbook I need?
Our inventory depends entirely on donated textbooks; we cannot guarantee
availability.
How do I get to the study room?
Donation
At the end of each semester, we collect gently used textbooks to redistribute to students the following term. Your donation directly supports keeping this resource available for the campus community.
Donation Dates 2026: [DATE TBD]
Collection bins will be available at:
- All residence halls near the front desk
- The IMU front desk
- The Main Library Circulation Desk