Students

Dear Students,

Check out the FAQs below for more info on buying course books from Octopus and our Store Policies page for information about returns.

Note that you will be notified by email when your books are ready for pick up – please wait for this email before coming to the store.

Summer 2023 Semester


Carleton University

CRCJ 2100B - Prof. Stinson, Lori
HIST 1002A - Prof. Eedy, Sean
PSCI 3107 - Prof. Atack, Peter
SOCI 2005 - Prof. Abdo, Nahla

University of Ottawa

ENG 4182 - Prof. Sugars, Cynthia

Saint Paul University

HUM 5114 - Prof. Rozuel, Cécile

BUYING COURSE BOOKS? GET THE FAQs!

If you are looking for course books, below are some tips that will make your visit to Octopus Books simple, pleasant and, most importantly, get you the right books.

Please take a moment to look through the questions below. If you are still lost at the end, give us a call at 613-233-2589 and we'll be happy to help!

DOES OCTOPUS HAVE MY BOOKS?

Your professor will tell you whether your books are available through Octopus.

If you have been to class and read your syllabus and you're still not sure if your books are available through Octopus, please refer to the Students section on our website. All the course books we sell are listed there and are organized by Department and Course Code. Check it out!

HOW DO I GET THERE?

The #7 bus takes you right from campus to our door. You can also take the #6 from either Billings Bridge or Greenboro to our store. Ask the driver to announce Bank and Third. We are located at 116 Third Ave, just around the corner from Nicastro's. Although the store is wheelchair accessible, our washroom is not.  If you have any issues or questions around accessibility, please don't hestiate to call us at 233-2589, or ask for assistance at the door of the store.

Get more info about Ottawa's buses here.

WHEN ARE YOU OPEN?

Here are our hours:

Monday - Friday: 10am - 6pm
Saturday: 10am - 5pm
Sunday: 11am - 5pm

WHAT SHOULD I BRING WITH ME?

The most important thing is to know your professor's name, but you should have your course code and textbook titles handy as well. Everything in the store is organized by your professor's name. Please, please, please remember your professor's name!

Here's why: There are lots of sections called "ENGL 1000" but they're all taught by different folks and require different books. Knowing your professor's name means you'll be going home with the right books - and that's a great way to start the school year.

CAN I BUY MY BOOKS ONLINE?

YES! You can pick them up in store, or have them shipped to you. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with our Store Policies before placing your order.

Pick up in-store

If you buy online, you can pick them up in-store at no extra charge (a great way to avoid line-ups)! You will be notified by email when your books are ready to pick up. Please wait for this email before coming to the store! We do our best to have books ready for you the day you order them, but orders are not processed on weekends.  All orders are to be picked up at our store in the Glebe at 116 Third Ave.

Or, shipped to your door!

Get them shipped to you - an even better way to avoid line-ups! Shipping charges are based on weight and your postal code. For shipping in Ontario, this usually works out to $13 for 1 book, plus $1 for each additional book. We will calculate the cost and confirm the total before charging you.

Please note that orders are processed in the order we receive them. We do our best to ship books the same day you place your order, but orders are not processed on weekends.

DO I NEED A Credit Card TO BUY BOOKS ONLINE?

No. While we accept Visa and Mastercard, you can also send an e-transfer from your bank. Please note that we do not accept Visa or Mastercard debit cards online!

SHOULD I BRING MY OWN BAG?

Yes, if you can! Otherwise we have paper bags.

Accessibility?

Our store is wheelchair accessible, but the bathroom is not. If you have mobility, auditory or any other type of accessibility issues, we are happy to try our best to help out.  Please give us a call at 613-233-2589 to let us know what would make it easiest for you to purchase your books.

Can I return my course book?

Check out our Store Policies page for information about returns.