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Textbooks for Fall: How to Buy, Sell and Trade
Here’s some information about all things books: selling them, buying them, and even finding books to read this summer.
Buy Fall Textbooks – Beginning Mon., July 8
MBS operates an online bookstore for Harker. The link to this online bookstore will be on the Back-to-School Hub. Starting July 8, you can input your student’s Harker ID at this virtual bookstore and all the books you need for your student’s classes will appear. We realize some of you may purchase books by other means, so it is important to make sure that when buying a book, the ISBN number exactly matches the one on your book list – even numbers different by one digit will mean the incorrect book.

Textbook orders of more than $99 purchased between July 8-14 will receive free shipping from MBS.

We have prepared a short simulation tutorial to walk you through the book-buying process with MBS. A hard copy cheat sheet is also available.

A note about textbook lists: We have been with MBS for many years and this has been the primary source of book information. In the past we have also posted a spreadsheet of all textbooks on the Back-to-School Hub. To ensure accuracy, we will not be providing that list this year. MBS is the most up-to-date source for the correct information, so all families will use this as a source of needed books. If you choose to buy your books elsewhere, including used books at the Used Book Exchange (see below), please be sure you know the exact editions you will need.
Textbook Buy-Back Options
Online: Now
On Campus: Middle School Campus Shipping and Receiving
Friday, May 24 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. for Class of 2019 only
Thursday, June 6, 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. for all classes

 

Step 1: Visit the MBS Direct website by going to the main Harker Parent Portal page and clicking on the blue tile called “Bookstore.” Once on the MBS page, click “sell your books” and log in to your MBS account. (If you do not have an MBS account, because you’ve never purchased from them, you can create an account at this point.) Enter your books’ ISBN numbers in the big blue box, and you will be told whether your books are available for buy-back. You may enter the ISBN numbers of any books, even ones you did not purchase from MBS. You will then receive a printable certificate that guarantees your buy-back price for any approved books.

Step 2: You can either send your approval certificate and book(s) back to MBS directly, or bring them to one of our Buy-Back drop-off days, where Harker will collect your textbooks and send them to MBS (see next section for more on that). However you choose to return your books, you will either receive a check from MBS, or you may have your amount credited via PayPal, which can take up to four weeks.

Buy-Back drop-off days are Friday, May 24, from 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. for the Class of 2019 only, and Thursday, June 6, from 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. for everyone, including the Class of 2019. Both events are at the middle school shipping and receiving area at 3800 Blackford Ave. Bring your printed MBS certificate (see section above about getting it)!
Used Book Exchange Sat., July 13 | 9-11 a.m., Upper School Campus Quad
The used book exchange is for Harker families to buy and sell directly to each other. Come to the upper school campus and sell or buy your books directly to/from other students. Sort of like a garage sale, Harker doesn’t establish any prices; you just negotiate with those who would like to purchase from you. The book-selling event on July 13 at Saratoga is also is a literature exchange day – come swap books for good summer reads!

Check out some tips for buying and selling at the exchange!
Questions?
If you have any questions about MBS buy-back or book purchasing, please contact me at bookstore@harker.org or 408.553.0356.

Have a great summer!
Matt Ortiz, MBS Liaison
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