The University Book Store is a private cooperative, and receives no funding from the UW or the state of Wisconsin. Generations of Badgers have purchased textbooks, notebooks and Badger gear at the University Book Store. Although it is independent from the UW, the University Book Store provides the majority of required reading materials to students.

When it first opened for business in 1894, the store was called the University Co-Op and was located on the 400 block of State Street. In 1972, the University Book Store moved to its present site on the corner of Lake and State streets. In 1992, the University Book Store purchased Brown’s Book Store, which was just across the street, and set up its Digital Outpost there to sell electronics and computer accessories. Today, the University Book Store has a few other locations — at Union South, Hilldale Mall, Janesville Mall and the Health Sciences Learning Center.