Frequently Asked Questions
I would like to visit inSpirit: The UU Book and Gift Shop. What are your hours?
inSpirit is located at the UUA headquarters at 24 Farnsworth Street in Boston. Normal walk-in hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 10 am to 4 pm EST. Bookstore staff are available by phone at 1-800-215-9076, Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm from Labor Day through June 30th, and 9 am to 4 pm from July 1st until Labor Day. You may email us anytime at bookstore@uua.org.
What is your discount policy?
We give a 10% discount off 10-19 copies of the same title and a 20% discount off 20 or more of the same title. These discounts apply to books published by the UUA, Beacon Press and other publishers, and to posters and certificate sets. Each set of certificates counts as one title.
We offer 10% off 10-19 assorted pamphlet packs and 20% off 20+ assorted pamphlet packs. We will apply the discount to your order manually.
These discounts do not apply to any edition of Singing the Living Tradition, or the New Member Gift Set. Church and Retail Booksellers, please visit the Church Bookstore Page and Retail Bookseller Page, respectively, for additional discount information.
Will I be charged tax?
Massachusetts individuals and for-profit institutions will be charged 6.25% Massachusetts sales tax on books and products not produced by the UUA, Skinner House or Beacon Press.
What if I need expedited shipping (overnight, 2 Day, etc.)?
Expedited shipping options are available. To place time-sensitive orders, please call us at 800-215-9076 or email us at
bookstore@uua.org.
What if I need to ship outside the US or Canada?
We only accept online orders shipping to the United States or Canada. To ship and order outside the US or Canada, please call us at 800-215-9076 or email us at bookstore@uua.org.
How do I redeem a gift certificate?
Place your items in the shopping cart and begin the checkout procedure. When you reach the payment page, you will have the option of entering credit card information or church account/gift certificate information. Click the option "Bill a Congregation or Redeem a Gift Certificate'. Enter the letters GC and the gift certificate number in the field provided. If your gift certificate does not pay for your entire order, we will contact you for your credit card information when we process your order. If your order is for less than the amount of the gift certificate, please make a note of the amount remaining. You can redeem the remainder at any time before the expiration date.
Is your website secure?
All online transactions are secured through the highest possible SSL encryption. Your transactions are protected 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.
How do I report an error on your website?
Email us at bookstore@uua.org, and we will make any necessary corrections.
I want a book that isn’t on your website. Can you get it for me?
We are able to special order any Beacon Press Book that is still in print, but may not be listed on our website. Please call us at 800-215-9076 or email bookstore@uua.org with your special order request. We do not special order non-Beacon titles.
Do you sell audio books?
We do not sell audio books, but you can purchase them through our page on libro.fm
How do I suggest a title for inSpirit: The UU Book and Gift Shop to carry?
Send suggestions to suggestedtitles@uua.org. We welcome and look forward to hearing from you.
If you've published a book and would like us to carry the book, please send an email to suggestedtitles@uua.org.
Due to the large volume of unsolicited submissions we receive, we regret we cannot respond to every one. If we decide to carry your book, we will let you know within 4-6 weeks. Because we receive so many books, we are not able to return any books that have been submitted for review.
Mail a review copy of your book, along with a cover letter, to:
inSpirit: The UU Book and Gift Shop
24 Farnsworth St.
Boston, MA 02210-1409
I want the Our Whole Lives DVDs, but they aren’t on the website. How do I get them?
The Sexuality and our Faith DVDs are available only to individuals who have completed OWL training and should be billed and/or shipped to a UU congregation whenever possible. Please contact us at 800-215-9076 to purchase these items.
Where do I buy a Side with Love banner?
You can find free SWL graphics for your banner on the Side with Love website. We suggest that you order your banner locally to save money on shipping. However, the UUA has arranged with H&W Printing, a union print shop in Mt. Rainer, Maryland, to special order Side with Love Banners. Click here for the ordering information for H&W Printing.
How do I buy Wayside Pulpit posters to display at my church?
Wayside Community Pulpit Series 8 is available for free downloading. Click here for instructions on how to download and print poster-sized copies of the quotations in Series 8 for your congregation and for the quotations themselves.
I have questions about copyright/permissions. Where can I get more information?
The UUA Publications Department has crated a Copyright Primer for Congregations. Please click here to read this information.
How do I find congregational resources in Braille?
To order a copy of Singing the Living Tradition in Braille for $35.00, Singing the Journey for $23.00, Las Voces del Camino for $18.00, or We Are for $2.00 (including shipping), contact Linda M. Horton at LindaHorto@cs.com or write to her at 9322 E. Cedar Waxwing Drive, Sun Lakes, AZ 85248. All transcriptions are in the "old" EBAE braille code. You can also contract with Linda Horton to produce a Braille edition of any other publication you need. She advises congregations to only procure Braille editions for specific people who request them rather than to have them on hand in case they are needed, as many people with visual disabilities prefer other formats.
How can I obtain electronic copies of UUA publications because I have a vision disability?
Please contact Mary Benard, Publications Director, at 617/948-4603 or mbenard@uua.org with information about the publication and kind of file that would meet your needs.
What's the difference between Skinner House Books and Beacon Press?
The Unitarian Universalist Association owns two distinct and complementary presses, Beacon Press and Skinner House Books.
Beacon Press: Beacon Press books seek to change the way readers think about fundamental issues, promoting such values as freedom of speech and thought, the importance of economic and social justice issues, religious pluralism, respect for our environment, and the importance of the arts in a civil society. Beacon has published several national bestsellers, and its books are frequently reviewed and discussed in national print and broadcast media. They are also used in university and secondary school curricula, citywide reading programs, and reading groups, and within a variety of organizational and faith-based reading programs.
Skinner House Books: Skinner House Books publishes titles directly aimed at the spiritual needs of Unitarian Universalists, seekers, and others who share the values of liberal religion. Skinner House publishes worship and church resources, books on theology and religious history, books for children and families, introductions to Unitarian Universalism, pastoral resources, and religious commentary on current issues and social justice concerns. While all Skinner House books express the Principles of Unitarian Universalism, many are distributed to the general public and accessible to people of all faiths or none. Content from Skinner House books is woven throughout Unitarian Universalist ministerial formation, preaching and worship, religious education, small group ministry, outreach, and programming at congregational and national levels.