Bookstore

Having Trouble?

MBS Direct and the Laboratory Schools are committed to helping you should you encounter difficulty in ordering texts and supplies, or selling back books. Your best first course of action is to look over MBSDirect's FAQ page. If that doesn't answer your question, next contact them directly or use their "Chat Live Now" feature. Finally, should your issue still be unresolved, the Schools can assist you. Email your issue to books@ucls.uchicago.edu.


Frequently Asked Questions

Lab's Virtual Stores are Always Open

All books and supplies, available through MBS Direct, may be ordered by visiting our MBS Direct Virtual Bookstore at http://bookstore.mbsdirect.net/ucls.htm

PE uniforms, Maroons athletic gear, and a selection of parent and alumni spirit wear items are available at Lab's rhedhouse/CLÖZ website.

Online Textbook & Supply Ordering

As MBS Direct is Lab’s official online bookstore, we want you to know what to expect. First, ordering your textbooks will be simple and straightforward. Developed specifically for Lab, our MBS Direct Virtual Bookstore will be organized according to class names and student schedules and will provide you with real-time inventory when ordering. MBS Direct operates a U.S. based customer service center that is available seven (7) days a week. 1-800-325-3252 or vb@mbsdirect.net

Here are just a few of the other benefits of this partnership that we think you'll appreciate:

  • Online ordering 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
  • Guarantee that every textbook used by our school will be available for purchase
  • Largest selection of used books in the nation, with each one graded for quality
  • Customer Loyalty program that gives you more back for your textbooks at buyback
  • Most orders filled and shipped within 24 hours
  • Low shipping rates due to MBS Direct's significant shipping volume with UPS
  • Orders over $99.00, placed July 9, 2012 - July 22, 2012 will receive FREE shipping
  • Smart Rates available September 3, 2012 - September 9, 2012
  • Payment options of Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express

FastPass Ordering:

You may use your student's six-digit Student ID in order to place orders on the MBS Direct Virtual Bookstore. MBS has updated FastPass to better serve our multiple student families. When ordering, start with one student as usual, then, when that student's books are in the cart, click on the "Continue Shopping" button, which takes you back to the FastPass Login Screen. At this point you can continue the process until all of the various students books have been ordered.

What is a Course ID?

When using the Shop by Course feature please note that the Course ID listed on the Virtual Bookstore is a combination of the "Number" and "Section" provided to your student on their schedule. For example, on the Virtual Bookstore, Course ID 9999.1 would be "Number" 9999 and "Section" 1.

Required P.E. Equipment

Students in grades 5-12, who are taking physical education, are required to have one (1) each of the following: T-shirt, Shorts, Sweatshirt, Sweatpants, Lock, and Swim cap (if taking swim). Place orders at the rhedhouse/CLÖZ website. rhedhouse/cloz also carries a selection of spirit items and athletic wear.

By using the catalogue and website, rhedhouse/CLÖZ will walk each student through the process of ordering their PE uniforms, spirit items, or athletic wear. Once you have placed an order online or by phone, rhedhouse/CLÖZ will send you an email confirmation of your order with an estimated ship date. It usually takes between 5 to 7 business days from the time you have confirmed your order for rhedhouse/CLÖZ to ship out your merchandise. A rhedhouse/CLÖZ retail store is located in Niles for at-once purchases.

About MBS Direct

Our decision to partner with MBS Direct was made with a great deal of consideration. After researching and exploring all the available online textbook suppliers, MBS Direct was the clear choice to provide textbooks online to our students. They proved to us that they are dedicated to delivering excellent customer service to the Schools and to each of you. The company currently serves hundreds of schools throughout the country and the world. They operate from a distribution complex in Columbia, Missouri with over 7 million textbooks – one of the best selections in the nation.

About RHEDHOUSE/CLÖZ

Many of the same conveniences offered by MBS Direct will be available to you when ordering from rhedhouse/CLÖZ. A local company, rhedhouse/CLÖZ, will make available the required PE uniforms via a Lab-specific website, an order-by-phone catalogue, or at their retail store located in Niles.

Your Thoughts & Comments

We have compiled a page of Frequently Asked Questions and will continue to add to it as we receive feedback from you about acquiring books and supplies online with MBS Direct and rhedhouse/CLÖZ. Please send your questions, along with any comments or concerns you may have at anytime. We also would welcome any suggestions you have for specific spirit items and athletic wear we might offer in the future.

We sincerely hope you are as pleased about these partnerships as we are. Information about the ordering process and the buyback will be made available in school publications and on this site, which we suggest you bookmark for future reference.


FAQ

Q

What will the Belfield Hall Store hours be?

A

With MBS Direct as our official online bookstore, and rhedhouse/CLÖZ as our PE uniform supplier, there is no longer a need for the in-school Store, formally located in Belfield Hall. However, our Course Materials Coordinator can assist you with answers to your questions either by phone, 773-702-2599 or email, books@ucls.uchicago.edu

Q

What will be available in the Belfield Hall Store?

A

As there is no longer an in-school Store, the Course Materials Coordinator will process certain materials that have been paid through Lab’s MBS Direct Virtual Bookstore, but not shipped to your home. These items will be distributed to students as per instructions indicated at the time of ordering.

Q

When will the Virtual Bookstore be available for placing orders?

A

The MBS Direct Virtual Bookstore is always available. You may place orders 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The 2012-2013 School Year site for ordering titles and supplies will be available July 9, 2012.

Q

Where do I purchase my PE uniforms?

A

All required PE uniforms and any spirit items or athletic wear you may want to purchase will be available on the rhedhouse/CLÖZ website that has been specifically designed for the Laboratory Schools. This is a separate site from our MBS Direct Virtual Bookstore.

Links to each site will be available through the Laboratory Schools website, as well as on each supplier's website. By using the rhedhouse/CLÖZ custom color catalogue and website, rhedhouse/CLÖZ will walk each student through the process of ordering their PE uniforms, spirit items, or athletic wear. Once you have placed an order online, or by phone, rhedhouse/CLÖZ will send you an email confirmation of your order with an estimated ship date. It usually takes between 5 to 7 business days from the time you have confirmed your order for rhedhouse/CLÖZ to ship out your merchandise. A rhedhouse/CLÖZ retail store is located in Niles for at-once purchases.

Q

Are PE uniforms from previous years still acceptable when participating in PE?

A

Yes, the old PE uniforms of gray shorts and white t-shirt, with the old logo, are still acceptable when participating in 2012-2013 Physical Education classes.

Q

How will the book buyback happen?

A

General details of the Book BuyBack can be found at MBS Direct's EZDrop BuyBack site and on our MBS Direct Virtual Bookstore. Volunteers from the Parents Association will be available to receive your books during our EZDrop BuyBack held in Belfield Gym, Room 141, June 5th, 6th and 7th. Watch for additional information in the school bulletins.

Q

How do I get an MBS EZ Drop BuyBack Quote?

A

Beginning May 19th you can generate an MBS Book BuyBack Quote that is valid for 30 days or until June 16th. The early quote will enable you to secure the best buyback price on your unwanted new and used titles. Books can be removed from a quote prior to shipment, but any additions will require a separate quote. We encourage our families to remember the password used when originally ordering your books last July - September to insure that you receive your guaranteed buyback prices and Customer Loyalty Bonus on qualifying books. Regardless of where it was purchased, any book for which MBS Direct offers a buyback price may be sold during the EZ Drop BuyBack.

Should you have questions regarding the process, visit the MBS Direct Virtual Bookstore and select "Sell my books" and follow the prompts.

Q

Should I sell back a book that one of my other children may be able to use next year?

A

You are welcome to sell back any book MBS Direct is willing to purchase. However, if in doubt, you may want to consult with the personnel at the EZ Drop BuyBack, the student's teacher, or the Course Materials Coordinator as to whether or not a specific book you are considering selling will be used again next year in one of your student's courses.

Q

What is the refund policy?

A

MBS Direct's return policy is outlined on the Virtual Bookstore's FAQ Page. rhedhouse/Cloz's Returns & Exchange policy can be found here.