Course Materials Adoption Training
Spring 2013
Prepared by the Textbook Operations Department
University of Maryland University College
The course material adoption process is, by nature,
complex—its many steps can be difficult to follow.
We want to help you navigate this process smoothly.
We share mutual goals…
•To provide accurate course material information to
our students
•To get the correct course materials to our faculty—
on time
•To have a smooth adoption process which meets
the State-mandated deadlines
Training Objectives
Through this training you will learn to:
• Use the Textbook Database
• Review and approve your desired course materials
• Specify which e-chapters should be posted to your classrooms
• Confirm the current edition and other information about your
books
• Provide comprehensive desk copy request information
What We Will Cover
1. Adoption timeline
2. Using the Faculty Center Network
3. How to use the database
4. How to request e-chapters
5. How to send a desk copy request
6. Who to contact for help
Faculty Center Network
Verify ISBNs, current editions, and other crucial book
information before submitting your textbook adoption
list
http://www.facultycenter.net/cgi-fc/fcBookBrowse.mac/top
user name: 70715
password: rwe877 (case sensitive)
How to use Faculty Center network? (right-click this link)
The Course Material Adoption Timeline
UMUC must comply with deadlines set by the State of
Maryland:
•Fall: May 1
•Spring: December 1
These deadlines cannot be changed. So, we work
backward from these dates…
The Course Material Adoption Timeline
MBS Direct—our virtual bookstore—requires six weeks
to verify correct editions, buy inventory, and be ready to
sell to our students when the state deadline hits.
How? Textbook Operations sends MBS a book list
•Academic and Program Directors must review and
approve the book list first.
•Textbook Operations reviews the approvals and
coordinates the list with MBS and publishers.
•This review and approval process=“adoption.”
The Course Material Adoption Timeline
• Fall: Posting Goes Live: May 1
– Directors’ Review Period: 02/20-03/05/12
– Textbook Ops Review Period: 03/06-03/20/12
• Spring: Posting Goes Live: Dec 1
– Directors’ Review Period: 09/17-09/30/12
– Textbook Ops Review Period: 10/01-10/14/12
• Summer: Posting Goes Live: March 20, 2013
– Directors’ Review Period: 01/09-01/22/13
– Textbook Ops Review Period: 01/23-02/05/13
How to Use the Textbooks Database
Grad:
https://webapps.umuc.edu/gradtextbooks/login.cfm
Undergrad:
https://webapps.umuc.edu/ugcm/login.cfm
Go to your “Academic Dir’s Inbox”
How to Use the Textbooks Database
Let’s use Spring 2013 AMBA 600 as an example…
Step 1: Select semester, department, course, and status
(status=“new” if you haven’t approved any books yet)
How to Use the Textbooks Database
Step 2: Review every item.
-- Click the course name on the top left (arrow) if you need to
edit anything on this page
How to Use the Textbooks Database
Notes about editing: Textbooks in a bundle
Please list the textbooks in a bundle as separate
components—don’t list them as an “alternate format.”
Note the error below:
Instead, here’s how it should look…
How to Use the Textbooks Database
Notes about editing: Textbooks in a bundle
The custom text, ISBN 1256004448, is now listed as a
separate component of the bundle. This is what we need
to see.
How to Use the Textbooks Database
Notes about editing: Textbooks in a bundle
If you don’t list textbooks separately from their
respective bundle, it forces Textbook Operations to
review almost 12,000 individual entries in order to pull
out any e-chapters you request.
We post the e-chapters using the print versions. Help us
find them quickly and easily!
How to Use the Textbooks Database
Another note about editing:
Are you missing information for a particular book, or
describing a special situation? MBS recommends
entering the following in the “Title” and “ISBN” fields:
Title
ISBN
No textbook required
n/a
Textbook to be announced
n/a
Materials available from the instructor
n/a
So. Editing your book list is time-consuming, but so
very necessary! Let’s look at specifics…
How to Use the Textbooks Database
Step 3: Edit any incorrect or missing information.
-- Here’s a screenshot of a bundle open for editing…
How to Use the Textbooks Database
Step 3 (cont’d): Edit any incorrect or missing information.
…And here’s one of its associated components
How to Use the Textbooks Database
Step 3 (cont’d): Edit any missing or incorrect information.
-- Do you need e-chapters posted in your classrooms? We
will post the three chapters which will be taught first. Enter them in
the box shown below.
How to Use the Textbooks Database
Step 3 (cont’d): Edit any missing or incorrect information.
-- Once you finish editing, click “Save” and then “Go to
List”
How to Use the Textbooks Database
Step 4: Back to the review page showing your list:
• Click the circular radio buttons in front of each
item.
• Scroll to the bottom and click “Approve”
How to Use the Textbooks Database
Clicking “Approve” brings up this page. Use Cancel if
you want to go back and edit.
How to Use the Textbooks Database
Remember: Once you click “Approve” and then “OK,”
you can no longer edit your textbook adoption list
yourself--you’ll have to contact your Textbook
Coordinator:
•Undergraduate: Karen Spitzer (karen.spitzer@umuc.edu)
•Graduate: Claudia Craig (claudia.craig@umuc.edu)
The Desk Copy/Review Copy Process
•Never taught the class before? Eligible for a desk copy.
•Please ask your faculty to confirm & update their mailing
address in PeopleSoft at the time you staff them
•Textbook Ops reviews the faculty report, orders books from
publishers for direct shipment to faculty
•Textbook Ops can research shipment tracking numbers
upon request
The Desk Copy/Review Copy Process
Special situations arise: Last-minute staffing change; book
lost in transit; ordering errors; and other issues.
We will order a copy for express shipping to your affected
faculty member. But we need some info first…
How to Send a Desk Copy/Review Copy Request
Email Justin Smith (justin.smith@umuc.edu) the following
about your faculty member:
•Full name
•UMUC email address
•Working phone number
•Current mailing address (street address preferred; some carriers won’t deliver to P.O.
boxes)
•Term, course number, and section which this book is for
•Title and/or ISBN of the book
(A lot of info, we know. We’re testing an online form now…)
Need Help?
1. Desk Copy Coordinator: Justin Smith
(justin.smith@umuc.edu)
2. Undergraduate Textbook Coordinator: Karen Spitzer
(karen.spitzer@umuc.edu)
3. Graduate Textbook Coordinator: Claudia Craig
(claudia.craig@umuc.edu)
4. E-chapter Technical Coordinator: Sheryl Hirsch
(sheryl.hirsch@umuc.edu)
By working together to ensure an accurate,
complete book list, we can help our students and
faculty receive the right materials in a timely
manner.
“Help us, help you”