Adopting Course Textbooks through Follett in Canvas

This guide walks faculty through submitting textbook and course material adoptions using the My Materials link in Canvas. Use Follett's adoption tool to select materials for an upcoming term, indicate when no materials are required, or identify open educational resources (OER).

Sidebar navigation menu with a red box highlighting the My Materials icon featuring a computer screen and mobile device.

 Open My Materials in Canvas

  1. Log in to Canvas.
  2. Select My Materials from the global navigation menu on the left.
  3. Follett's adoption tool will open in a new tab/window.

Note: the first time you open the tool, you may see a welcome message introducing the adoption process. You can select Get Started to take a tour, Skip to go directly to the adoption tool, or Read More for additional information.

Select the Correct Term and Course

      1. Use the Term dropdown near the top of the page to select the term for which you are submitting adoptions.
      2. Under Open Adoptions, locate your course.
      3. Confirm the course name and number before adding materials.
        Cropped Open Adoptions screen with a red arrow pointing to SPAN.101 Elementary Spanish to confirm course selection.

Open Adoptions page for SPAN.101 with highlights on Search & Add Materials, Adopt Selected Items, and the OER Material link.

Add Course Materials

  1. Find your course under Open Adoptions.
  2. Select Search & Add Materials to search the catalog for textbooks and other course materials. Check the title, edition, ISBN, and usage information when available.
  3. Select the items you want to adopt, then click Adopt Selected Items.
  4. Repeat as needed to add all required and recommended materials.

If your course does not require purchased textbooks, use one of the options at the bottom of the course's adoption page.

  • Select No Materials Required if students do not need course materials.
  • Select Using OER Material if your course uses open educational resources such as openly licensed textbooks.

Submit and Verify Your Adoption

      1. Complete the adoption process for each course requiring action.
      2. Select Submitted Adoptions from the left navigation menu to review your submissions.
      3. Confirm that the expected materials appear and check their submission status.

Note: Submitting an adoption does not necessarily mean the materials have been finalized or approved. Review the status displayed on the Submitted Adoptions page.

Dashboard showing a completed adoption message for Fall 2026, with arrows pointing to the Term selector and Submitted Adoptions menu.

Troubleshooting Guide

My Materials is missing

Confirm you are logged into your Canvas account and contact the ITS support desk if needed.

Course is not listed

Check the selected term. If it remains missing, you may not be listed as the instructor. Contact your department chair or ITS for further support.

Textbook does not appear in search

Search by ISBN or alternate title keywords. Verify the edition.

Adoption button is disabled

You must select one or more materials first. If your course does not use materials, select No Materials Required.

Unsure whether adoption is complete

Open your Submitted Adoptions section and check the displayed status.

Course has no textbook

Select No Materials Required or Using OER Material, as appropriate.

I need to change a submitted adoption

You may be able to do this within the adoption tool, as long as the semester is still accepting adoptions. If not, reach out to ITS for further support.

Need Help?

If you encounter a problem that these steps do not resolve, contact the campus bookstore representative responsible for Follett textbook adoptions, or reach out to ITS. Include the course name and number, selected term, a description of the issue, and a screenshot if possible.


Keywords:
Follett, My Materials, Canvas, textbook adoption, course materials, textbook ordering, adopt textbooks, course textbook, instructional materials, open adoptions, submitted adoptions, adopt by course, adopt by section, ISBN, textbook edition, required materials, recommended materials, no materials required, OER, open educational resources, course materials adoption, bookstore, faculty support, Canvas integration, textbook troubleshooting. 
Doc ID:
164915
Owned by:
Sara S. in Illinois Wesleyan University
Created:
2026-10-19
Updated:
2026-10-19
Sites:
Illinois Wesleyan University