University of Wisconsin Stout | Wisconsin's Polytechnic University

About the Textbooks Service (IRS)

Instructional Resources Service (IRS) is a textbook rental system. Students and staff check out textbooks and other instructional materials assigned to the course(s) at the beginning of each term and return them by the last day of class. Students receive a variety of media, including textbooks, paperbacks, CD's, DVD's, and reprints of articles.

IRS does not distribute consumable materials (workbooks, access codes, and some paperbacks) or materials which will only be used once. These materials may be purchased through the bookstore in the Student Center.

Textbooks are included in the Stout Library Catalog and are designated by the "Textbook and Instructional Resources Service" location.

Checking Out and Returning Textbooks

• Current textbooks need to be returned prior to checking out textbooks for the upcoming term.
• All textbooks remaining in IRS after the first ten class days are available for loan for leisure or research purposes, and are also due the last day of classes. Exceptions require instructor permission.
• Textbooks for customized online instruction and distance education courses can be sent directly to students who cannot come to campus. Use the Distance Education Textbook Request Form.

Returning Textbooks:

• Textbooks are to be returned to Instructional Resources (not the main library).
• A book drop is available when Instructional Resources is closed. The book drop is built into the side brick wall near the 3rd street entrance of the Robert S. Swanson Learning Center.
• Textbooks that were mailed to distance learners can be mailed back to Intructional Resources Service, 201 Robert S. Swanson Learning Center, 315 Tenth Ave East, Menomonie, WI  54751.

Costs

Instructional Resources Service is a self-sustaining program funded with undergraduate/graduate rental fees, money from the sale of new, used or withdrawn resources and fines.

UW-Stout students pay a rental fee included in their tuition payment based upon the number of credits taken. For fiscal year 2010-2011, fees are:

• Undergraduate ($5.54 per credit)
• Graduate ($7.55 per credit)

Compliance with Higher Education Opportunity Act

The new Higher Education Opportunity Act requires sufficient information to allow students to acquire textbooks from alternative sources.  In order to comply with this federal requirement, textbook orders must be submitted by October 3, 2011 to have textbooks for WinTerm and Spring Term 2012.   Robert Butterfield at IRS and Julie Xenos at the Campus Bookstore are available to answer your questions.

• UW-Stout Instructional Resources Service Compliance with Higher Education Opportunity Act

Sales

A ten percent discount sale is available daily throughout the year for most used resources.

Withdrawn or discontinued resources are available for purchase for between $1.00 and $5.00. These resources are no longer used to support classroom instruction and are very good buys!

Last Updated: 09/14/2012   Last Revised: 10/20/2011