You're not alone...

If you've got a question for us, it's a good idea to check here first -- someone else may have already asked it! This is the place to come for information about when we're open, where we're located, and how to get in touch with us. You'll also find answers to common questions about Harvard University, and information about book-related matters.

If you don't find the answer to your question here, by all means feel free to ask! Send your e-mail to info@harvardsquarebookstore.com, and we'll answer you as quickly as we can!

Frequently Asked Questions...

About Harvard Book Store | About Harvard University | About Books

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About Harvard Book Store:

• Q: Where is Harvard Book Store located? How do I get there?

  A: We are right in Harvard Square, a few blocks away from the subway stop (on the Red Line). Our mailing address is:

  1256 Massachusetts Ave.
  Cambridge, MA 02138

  For directions, see our Visiting Boston/Cambridge page.

• Q: What are the store's hours?

  A: Our hours are: Monday through Thursday, 9 AM to 11 PM, Friday and Saturday, 9 AM to 12midnight, and Sunday, 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM.

• Q: How can I get in touch with the bookstore?

  A: You can call us at (617) 661-1616 or (800) 542-READ. Our fax number is (617) 497-1158. Or, you can e-mail us at info@harvardsquarebookstore.com. If you have a website-related question, it's better to e-mail than call. For more detailed information about contacting people at Harvard Book Store, please see our contact page.

• Q: Do you buy or sell used books?

  A: Yes! We have a great used book section downstairs in our store. All titles are 50% off the cover price!

  If you have used books to sell to us, you can bring them Monday through Sunday, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Our buying policy is as follows:

  • Paperbacks only.
  • We do not buy books which are used solely as texts (no Chem 101 manuals, for instance)
  • Books must be in good condition -- no broken spines, water damage, or underlining
  • We do not buy any romance novels or Westerns

  You will be issued either 20% of the books' cover value in store credit, or 15% in cash.

  If you have questions about this policy, call (617) 661-1515 and ask to speak to the used book department.

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About Harvard University:

• Q: Is Harvard Book Store a part of Harvard University?

  A: Harvard Book Store is not an affiliate of Harvard University. We cannot provide any information about Harvard University courses or departments. Please visit Harvard's website at http://www.harvard.edu. The University's textbook and other needs are fulfilled by the Harvard Cooperative Society ("The Coop").

• Q: Can you help me get in touch with Harvard faculty or students?

  A: Because we are not in any way connected to the University, we cannot assist in locating the e-mail addresses or other contact information for Harvard faculty or students.

• Q: Does Harvard Book Store sell clothing with the Harvard logo?

  A: We do not currently sell clothing or other items with the Harvard University logo. We suggest you visit the website of the Harvard Student Agencies, who do sell such items.

• Q: Can I get copies of the Harvard Business Review from Harvard Book Store?

  A: We do not sell the Harvard Business Review. You can visit their website for information about subscribing or receiving copies of case studies.

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About Books:

• Q: How long does it take for a hardcover book to go into paperback?

  A: Anywhere from 6 months to never, depending on the market for the book, but it's usually about a year. Once the hardcover disappears, watch for it to turn up again as a remainder at bargain prices.

• Q: Sometimes I'm told a book is in print, but then it turns out not to be available. What's going on?

  A: Our information is only as good as what publishers can tell us. They try to make things easy by compiling all the useful information about their books into Books in Print, but sometimes mistakes slip through. Most often, this crops up in the area of availability. When you ask us about a title, we'll likely check Books in Print for information and get back to you right away. Most often, there's no problem, and we can get the book for you quickly. Sometimes, however, the Books in Print information is out of date or inaccurate, and when we try to order the book from the publisher for you, we find that it has gone out of print ahead of schedule, or the publisher has run out of copies and must print more. If that happens, we will let you know immediately, and give you the choice between cancelling your order and waiting until the book becomes available again, or going ahead with an out-of-print book search if you so desire.

• Q: What is a remainder?

  A: Remainders are largely an unintentional by-product of the book business, due to the fact that publishers can never do better than guess at how well a book is going to sell, and for how long. Thus, for instance, they are often left with large quantities of a hardcover after the paperback edition has already been released, and they have little choice but to dump them on the market at drastically reduced prices. Distributors who buy remaindered lots from publishers and sell them to bookstores also often print their own affordable editions of public domain titles, books such as Jane Austen's, which are unlikely to ever stop selling. Both of these are what you will generally see advertised as Bargain Books.

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Copyright 1997 Harvard Book Store      Phone: 800-542-READ FAX: 617-497-1158