Occidental Bookstore

Welcome to the Occidental College Bookstore—your one-stop shop for everything Oxy! From spirit gear and supplies to textbooks, you can find it all online. With Oswald’s Essentials, getting your course materials is simpler, more affordable, and stress-free.

Shop Now

Visit online bookstore

Two students looking at a laptop side-by-side
  • Course Materials & Textbooks
  • Apparel & Spirit Shop
  • Supplies & Technology
  • Student Essentials
  • Health & Wellness

Campus Bookstore Academic Hours

Monday–Thursday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Friday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.

Winter Break Hours through Jan 16th

Monday–Friday 10 a.m.–2 p.m.

Oswald's Essentials Program: How It Works

Through Oswald's Essentials, you will receive all your course materials, both physical and digital, before the first day of class. You'll also benefit from a highly personalized concierge service.

""
Register for Classes

Upon registering for courses, you will be automatically enrolled into the program.

""
Verify Your Order

Beginning 30 days before the first day of classes, you will receive an email to verify your order and select your fulfillment preference.

""
Receive Your Textbooks

An email notification will be sent when your order is ready for pickup or when it ships. Your digital materials will be delivered for your course(s) within Canvas.

Course Materials Portal

FAQs for Students

Oswald’s Essentials is a course material delivery model that simplifies the student experience, lowers the cost of materials, and ensures students have access to all required course materials on or before the first day of class. Physical books are conveniently packaged and provided on a rental basis, and digital materials are accessed through Canvas. The flat fee is $25 per academic unit.

Register for your classes and the bookstore prepares your materials. One month before classes start, you'll receive an email to select delivery (pickup or shipping). You’ll receive a notification when your materials are ready. Digital materials are accessible in Canvas.

All students enrolled in credit-bearing courses are automatically included. No action is needed unless you want to opt out (during the opt-out window each semester). If you opt out, you are responsible for acquiring materials on your own. You can use the bookstore or any other source.

All required textbooks, e-textbooks, lab manuals, and access codes are included.

Consumable items that cannot be reused, such as lab goggles, dissection kits, or other course-specific kits.

Use the link in your opt-out confirmation email or the opt-out portal to change your status during the window.

All books must be returned by the last day of final exams. Reminders will be sent via email.

Yes, you may purchase rental textbooks at a discounted rate during the semester.

Yes, you’ll return the book at the end of the term and receive it again for the next course.

Your materials will be held at the bookstore, your digital materials will be loaded into the LMS, and you will still be charged.

Yes. Charges apply unless you have opted out by the deadline.

Return dropped course materials within 48 hours. If you add a class, the bookstore will provide the updated materials.

Yes, but you must return the books within 48 hours or you will be charged.

No. Most materials are rentals and must be returned. However, you may purchase your textbooks if you’d like to keep them.

Students have the option to opt-out of the Oswald’s Essentials program each semester during the opt-out window. The opt-out window is open January 4 through February 8, 2026 for Spring 2026 semester. By opting out, students will not receive their required materials in a convenient package and access to digital content in Canvas will be removed after the opt-out window closes. Options for purchasing course materials after opt-out can be found on the bookstore website. To begin the opt-out process, please visit the opt-out portal.

FAQs for Faculty

Oswald’s Essentials is a course material delivery model that ensures students have access to all required course materials on or before the first day of class. It includes both physical and digital materials and is charged to students at a flat rate of $25 per unit.

This program was adopted in response to student and faculty feedback. Common concerns included high prices, late access to materials, and challenges with adoption processes. Oswald’s Essentials improves affordability, access, and adoption support.

Yes! Faculty retains full academic freedom in selecting course materials.

No. While students can opt out individually, all faculty-assigned materials are included in the program by default.

Students will pay for the total number of academic units each term, regardless of the course materials requirements for those courses. Students have the option to opt-out for all classes each term. 

BNC will work with faculty to include custom materials in the program where possible.

Spring 2026 adoptions should be submitted through BNC's Adoptions and Insights portal.

Click the link in the original adoption email or by clicking on AIP. Log in with your Oxy email credentials and submit orders by ISBN if an adoption has never been placed in the portal before. Please contact bookstore@oxy.edu for training and support or stop by during store hours.

Yes. The Bookstore team can confirm student participation in the program.

Contact Bookstore
Phone: 323-259-2630
bookstore@oxy.edu

Popular Searches

Campus Map
Bookstore
Clubs & Orgs
Majors & Minors
Campus Directory
Academic Calendar
Study Abroad
Working at Oxy