Buying and Selling Open University Books: Module and Edition Checklist

Before buying Open University books second-hand, check what your module provides and what you must obtain separately. A previous student's box of materials is not necessarily the set you need for your presentation of the module.

The OU's study-materials guidance directs students to StudentHome for information about supplied materials and buying set books. Use your current module information as the authority for requirements. UniBookTrade is an independent marketplace, not an OU supplier or an endorsement of a particular edition.

Check the module before the cover

Record the module code and the year or presentation you are studying. Search OU books on UBT by module code or exact ISBN. If a code produces no relevant result, try the full title and ISBN rather than assuming the book is absent.

A physical book does not transfer enrolment

Buying a printed volume does not establish a right to another student's online module access. Do not buy shared logins or assume a disc, code or download can be transferred. Check the current OU or publisher terms for anything beyond the physical book.

For background reading, the OU also points to selected freely available material on OpenLearn. That can be useful when exploring a subject, but it does not automatically replace your enrolled module's required materials.

Compare a set with individual volumes

List the volumes you need and compare their combined delivered price with a complete set. Ask what is included if photographs show a pile of books but the description names only one. A cheaper incomplete set can cost more once you add the missing volumes.

Use the Reading List Checker for several ISBNs. Older OU materials may not all have an ISBN; record the module code, printed title and year rather than inventing one.

Selling completed-module materials

Photograph the cover, publication information and all included volumes. List what is missing and disclose annotations or completed exercises. Compare current copies of the same materials before choosing a price. Sale timing and value are not guaranteed.

The shelf checker can help identify books with ISBNs. For other materials, use the selling process and describe the physical items accurately. For books that are unsuitable to sell, see the donation directory.

Browse OU materials or use the general edition checklist before buying.