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Additional Programs at Northwestern

AIR seeks to connect faculty with resources and services from across Northwestern that will help to make courses as affordable as possible. Below are additional resources you may be interested in utilizing or sharing with your students.

Books for 'Cats program

The Books for 'Cats program offers eligible entering first-year students the ability to borrow course materials (including textbooks, clickers, access codes, and lab equipment) in over 100 selected introductory courses. Eligible students are identified by the Financial Aid Office, and students receive quarterly email invitations with instructions for participating.

If you have eligibility questions, contact Brian Drabik, Senior Associate Director in Financial Aid at b-drabik@northwestern.edu.

 Visit our FAQ page for answers to frequently asked questions about the program.

'Cats for 'Cats Lending Library

The Cats 4 Cats Lending Library is a “take-a-book leave-a-book” collection where students donate their textbooks and other course materials for other students to use in future quarters for free. Any student can take materials they need for class, use it for the term and return it at the end of the quarter.

The collection can be found in University (Main) Library, 2N Core. 

View the collection (updated regularly, but may not be 100% current): libraries.nu/cats4catalog
For more information: https://www.asg.northwestern.edu/lending-library

Questions? Contact asg-academic@u.northwestern.edu

Free or low-cost printing printing

Associated Student Government funds a $6 printing credit that is applied to all undergraduate student print accounts each year. The funds appear in Northwestern Print, which students can access using their netIDs (you must be in the wired, wireless, or VPN Northwestern network to access). Printers that use NUPrint on the Evanston campus are located in the Libraries, Residence Halls, and Norris Center.

In addition, various schools and departments offer free printing to students within those programs. Multicultural Student Affairs offers free printing privileges with a limit of 500 pages per student per quarter. Visit the MSA website to learn more.

Laptop loans

Students are able to check out Dell laptops from University Library on a first-come, first-serve basis. All laptops are equipped with standard software. Loan periods are either 7-days or quarter loans. Visit the Libraries' equipment page for more information.

Free and discounted software

Northwestern IT provides access to free and discounted software to members of the Northwestern Community, including the Microsoft Office suite, Adobe Creative Cloud, SPSS, and MATLAB. For a full list of software and instructions for purchase or download, visit the Northwestern Information Technology website.