CarmenBooks is a program that offers digital copies of selected textbooks for a fraction of the cost of a new, physical copy. Through a partnership with RedShelf, the university negotiates for a better price.
Your instructor chooses whether your course will opt in to the program.
With CarmenBooks, you can:
- Save up to 80% off the retail price for your course materials.
- Access digital course materials through CarmenCanvas before your class begins.
- Retain access to certain RedShelf course materials (publisher dependent) for as long as you are a student at Ohio State.
If you register for a course that is using CarmenBooks, you will see this discounted textbook cost reflected as a course fee on your Statement of Account.
You will receive an email notifying you of your course’s participation with CarmenBooks. If you did not receive a message the day after you register, are unsure, or would like to confirm, you can find information on participating courses on the Affordable Learning website.
How much is the fee?
The fee is different for each course and is based on negotiated rates for the materials selected by the instructor. The university charges exactly what it is billed for the materials and does not charge an additional access fee or markup.
Accessing Materials
You will have access to CarmenBooks content as soon as you enroll in the course because it is pre-loaded before the semester begins.
Most CarmenBooks materials are available directly from the CarmenBooks RedShelf Reader in the Carmen course navigation menu. Some materials on homework systems provided by a textbook publisher, such as MyLab or MindTap, might require you to link outside of Carmen to access the materials. If so, your instructor will have specific instructions for how to access them included in your syllabus or Carmen course.
CarmenBooks RedShelf Reader
If using the CarmenBooks RedShelf Reader, you will see a menu item labeled CarmenBooks in your course navigation.
Launch the reader from CarmenCanvas using a web browser so you can access all of its features. If you launch the reader from within the Canvas Student app, you will not have access to all features.
Publisher Homework Systems
If your course is using a publisher homework system (such as Pearson or Cengage), the material might launch directly from the CarmenBooks reader (depending on the publisher). If not, you may need to access it from a separate item in the course navigation or an assignment that launches in a new tab.
Anything listed as Courseware on your bookshelf is delivered on a publisher homework system. In such cases, you will see buttons like Access Pearson or McGraw-Hill Connect in the Carmen course navigation, as pictured in the screenshots to the right. The titles will remain on your CarmenBooks bookshelf only to help keep track of all your enrollments.
If you do not see a Launch button for your title within the CarmenBooks reader, your instructor will likely have provided information on how to access your course material. Look for a Carmen Announcement from your instructor or instructions in your course syllabus or Carmen Modules.
How long will I have access to the material?
This answer is different depending on the type of material your course is using and which publisher has provided it.
You will have access to most digital textbooks delivered through the CarmenBooks RedShelf Reader for the duration of your enrollment at Ohio State. They remain on your bookshelf, organized by semester.
Materials delivered via publisher systems, such as AccessPearson or Cengage, and some digital textbooks will have more limited access periods. For most materials, that means a single semester, but it can be a year or longer for some.