general reading and reference
We combine national and local expertise to customize selections for our campus partners, reflecting their curricula as well as the wider interests of their community. Our comprehensive reference departments include attractively priced study guides such as SparkNotes and SparkCharts, exclusive reprints of classic works, dictionaries, other quick reference books and specialty reference titles in law, medicine, and other arts and sciences.
We also round out textbook offerings with a wide range of general reading titles –from books, magazines and newspapers to relevant trade publications. Plus, students and faculty have access to Barnes & Noble’s award-winning offerings such as:
- NOOK™: Our award-winning eReading products – including the all-new NOOK Tablet™, NOOK Color™ and NOOK Simple Touch™ – are the most full-featured, dedicated eReading devices on the market.
- Bestsellers: Our unique weekly National Campus Bestseller List tracks the 40 best-selling books across our campuses, so students can keep up with what’s popular among their peers.
- Bargain Books: Our bargain books – priced at up to 90 percent off – offer great value to all customers. We work with vendors nationwide to put together a diverse and engaging selection for campus bookstores.







Many faculty members today prefer creating their own textbooks, integrating their work with existing material. So we’ve partnered with XanEdu – the leading provider of course packs and custom textbooks – to offer attractive compilations, quickly and conveniently.
With Barnes & Noble’s PubIt!™, self-publishing is at your fingertips. The easy-to-use application allows students, faculty and other aspiring authors to publish their own works for digital publishing and distribution with no costs or hidden fees. Authors simply upload their books, set a price and track sales activity.