Barnes & Noble College Has Given A Donation To Penn State's Abington Campus For Textbooks

ABINGTON, PA — Penn State Abington has received a generous donation from bookseller Barnes & Noble designed to help students with textbook access.

Barnes & Noble College announced that it has awarded $38,000 to the Abington campus across two academic years for campus bookstore gift cards, which are given to students to help reduce the burden of textbook costs for those with financial needs.

Barnes & Noble College awarded a total of $165,000 across the entire Penn State University this year, according to the school. The grant program was started back in 2015.

Students who meet the financial qualifications are able to redeem the gift cards, which are issued in $100 denominations, at the Penn State Abington campus bookstore, which is run by Barnes & Noble, the university stated.

Students who receive federal Pell Grants as undergraduates with exceptional financial need are eligible to participate in the program.

Penn State Abington says around 38 percent of its students are eligible for Pell Grants.

Federal Pell Grants are unlike student loans in that they do not have to be repaid, except under certain circumstances.

Penn State says that the gift card rewards are processed through the campus Student Emergency Assistance Fund, and that applications for the gift cards are reviewed by the Office of Financial Aid on a first-come, first-serve basis.