Eligible First-generation college students may apply to receive free textbooks during the first month of the fall (September) and spring (January) terms of the academic school year. The BLP is an automated process that requires you to answer a series of questions to determine your eligibility.
You have options! There are two ways that you may complete this process.
You can click on “Apply for BLP” to start NOW, which takes five minutes. The following videos will assist you with the application and requesting books.
See the Workshop Schedule to find a facilitated workshop that will give you the step-by-step process.
If you are unable to locate your books on the library website, you will need to search other sources such as the University Bookstore, Amazon, Better World Books, Chegg, etc. Dropping or adding classes – At any time in the first month of the semester you may log into the Armacost library website to request a textbook.
For more information please contact BLP@redlands.edu.
While the definition can be complicated, at the U of R being a first-gen student means that your parents did not complete a 4-year college or university degree.
One to three days.
EFC is an index number used to determine your eligibility for federal student financial aid. This number results from the financial information you provided in your FAFSA form. It's reported to you on your Student Aid Report (SAR). Your EFC is calculated according to a formula established by law and considers your family’s taxed and untaxed income, assets, and benefits (such as unemployment or Social Security). We use EFC to determine your eligibility to participate in BLP. We understand that there may be gaps in the amount of aid you need and this should be fully explained in the application form.
No. Full-time status is not a requirement to qualify.
Should you not meet the eligibility requirements for the BLP, please set up a meeting with Peter Tupou at peter_tupou@redlands.edu.
You can email BLP@redlands.edu with any questions or concerns.
Yes, depending on our funding, BLP has helped students with their lab fees.
Yes, please see You’re in College! Tips for Budgeting to learn more.
At the end of the term, you will receive an email notification with detailed instructions on returning your book. Depending on the textbook, the email will come from the Armacost Library, the Campus Bookstore, Campus Diversity & Inclusion, or the publisher.
Writing or highlighting in a textbook is strictly prohibited and will be considered damage to the book resulting in a replacement fee.
