Ohio State is in the process of revising websites and program materials to accurately reflect compliance with the law. While this work occurs, language referencing protected class status or other activities prohibited by Ohio Senate Bill 1 may still appear in some places. However, all programs and activities are being administered in compliance with federal and state law.

 Teaching and Learning Resource Center

Getting Started with CarmenBooks for Instructors

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 on behalf of all students in the course. 


With CarmenBooks, your students can: 

  • Save up to 80% off the retail price for course materials. 
  • Access digital course materials through CarmenCanvas via the CarmenBooks link on the global navigation bar and through the navigation bar in your published course. 
  • Retain access to certain RedShelf course materials (publisher dependent) for as long as they are a student at Ohio State.

Getting Involved

 

How do I get involved?  

For more information or to get started with CarmenBooks, contact carmenbooks@osu.edu. Be sure to include your course name and current textbook information (title, edition, publisher, etc.)  

If I'm interested, how do I look up if my book is available?  

Currently, you can check availability by emailing carmenbooks@osu.edu. You can also search your title on redshelf.com but not everything available there is also available through our program. 

How do I order my selected textbook?  

Selecting and ordering materials for your course is only available during a defined period before enrollment for a semester begins. Learn more about ordering materials. 

If I sign up, how long am I committing to use CarmenBooks?  

There is no long-term commitment. In fact, participants are asked to reconfirm their orders each semester. 

This allows faculty to not only opt-out of participating, but also change their instructional materials at any point. 

The orders for a given semester must be made before its order period closes. The deadline is usually the week before students begin to register for classes.   

What if I assign multiple books for my class?  

When ordering your materials, faculty can assign multiple digital textbooks or combinations of them and publisher courseware to a course.  

Which publishers' materials are available in the program?  

The entire catalogs of many of the nation's largest publishers -- Cengage, McGraw-Hill, and Pearson, for example -- are available. Titles from smaller publishers are available as well. 

To check on a specific text, contact carmenbooks@osu.edu.