Frequently Asked Questions


If you have a question not listed below - visit our help desk and you'll be able to search a much larger database of questions, and also contact us if you're unable to find your answer.


See the SlugBooks College Resource Guide for more tips on better ways get through college.


General Questions

Why should I use SlugBooks?
SlugBooks is designed to do one thing - save you money on your textbooks. We're different from other comparison sites because we provide you with all the information you need to make informed purchasing decisions.. even if that means we're sending you to the campus bookstore. Sometimes buying from the bookstore just makes plain sense - we're not afraid to show you that!

We also provide some other awesome features, like a facebook student textbook exchange and free previews of your course material.

How much does it cost to use SlugBooks?
Nada, nothing, zip, nichts. It's FREE!

Who runs SlugBooks?
We are a collection of award-winning astronauts, scientists, economists, politicians and zookeepers. Actually, we're just a handful of regular old college students and alumni. Check us out!

Does SlugBooks work for Canada?
Yes! In addition to American universities and vendors, we also feature select Canadian universites in a custom search just for Canada. Check out our Canada textbook search to search between the best Canadian vendors. Alternately, from the book search page, if you click on USA, you'll be able to select Canada from there as well.

I already purchased my books from the bookstore. Is it too late for me to use SlugBooks?
Heck no! You have until your bookstore's deadline to return your used books. Save your receipts and return those overpriced books to the bookstore before the deadline. It's never too late to save money. Unless you're bankrupt...then you can't save money. But again, we're not economists, so we could be wrong.

I can't find my book on the site. WHY?
Well, it's either that there are no books and/or only a reader for your course or it's that your course has a highly customized book bundle that only the bookstore sells (example: Aplia). If you know the ISBN for the books you need, and we don't have them listed - buy textbooks with our book search. If it's possible for us to provide all relevant and available books, we'll list them. That's a SlugBooks promise. We pinky swear.

I have some feedback. How do I provide you with my fantastic ideas?
We're always looking to improve our site - send us feedback. We'll do our best to reply quickly.

What's the meaning of life?
Saving money on textbooks. Duh.

Facebook Exchange Questions

What does Facebook Connect have to do with SlugBooks?
We use Facebook for our textbook exchange's login system. By connecting with Facebook, sellers aren't required to remember yet another login and password, and buyers no longer have to enter their contact information every time they want to contact a seller. The communication piece of the exchange is still run through email, but Facebook allows it to be easier and more direct.

Is my information safe with SlugBooks?
Your privacy is extremely important to us. We will never, ever sell your personal information. The only information we will ever access from your Facebook account is information necessary to run the textbook exchange. If you ever decide to remove yourself from SlugBooks, remove our app on Facebook () - immediately upon doing that, you and your listings will be completely removed from our system.

How do I post a textbook exchange listing to my Facebook timeline?
Check the 'Post to My Facebook Timeline' option when you are listing the book. We will post a customized message to your timeline about the book and class you are listing, along with a picture of the book. We only post to your Facebook wall when you explicitly ask us to.

If I list a book, how will I be contacted?
If anyone is interested in purchasing your book, SlugBooks will send you an email on the buyer's behalf. The buyer will not see your email address until you reply to that email to pursue a sale.

Is there a way to post books on SlugBooks without people seeing my name?
We only show SlugBooks visitors the first name and last initial of users who list books, but if you want more privacy, we allow you to post books anonymously. To do this, all that you have to do is check the 'post anonymously' box when you are listing a book. From what we have seen, students who post with names have a much better chance of being contacted, but we respect your desire to keep information private.

How do I remove every trace of myself in SlugBooks?
Login to Facebook, click Account, then Privacy Settings, click 'Edit Your Settings' under Applications and Websites, and then click 'Remove' on the SlugBooks application. Once you remove the application on Facebook, we IMMEDIATELY remove your account and listings on SlugBooks as well - you won't hear from us ever again, unless you choose to connect again. If you are having trouble with any step in this process, shoot us an email. We will spend as much time as it takes to make sure your privacy is taken care of.