Faculty Information: How does the Bookstore work?
FAQ regarding the partnership between the Bookstore & Faculty
What does the faculty/student course materials timeline look like?
We go through our business cycle 4 times a year – Fall term, Winter Session, Spring term, Summer Sessions. Each cycle is based off a
period of collecting and researching orders from faculty, acquiring materials, selling materials, and returns. In addition to this cycle,
we are kept on track by other events: students course registrations, opening the website, printing/shipping deadlines, and the
academic calendar. Here is a rough guide (specific dates will change per term!) to what you can expect:
General Timeline
Fall Term
Winter Session
Spring Term
Summer Sessions
Orders from faculty due
2 months after the start of the April 15th
Nov. 1st
Nov. 1st
March 15th
prior semester leaving time for
research and custom books.
Books start arriving in-store
1-2 months prior to the start
July 1st
Late Nov./1st
Dec. 1st
April 15th
of classes.
week of Dec.
Website opens /
1-2 months prior to the start
July 15th
Tied into Spring Dec. 7th
April 15th
students start placing orders
of classes.
Term
Book Vouchers Available
1 week before the start of
August
N/A
Jan. 9th – 24th N/A
st
classes through 1 week after
31 –
classes start.
Sept. 14th
Major sales period in-store
First 2 weeks of classes
Sept. 7th – Dec. 15th – Jan.
Jan. 17th –
May 14th – 18th ,
st
st
st
21
1
31
July 2nd – 6th
th
th
Returns deadline for students 1 week after the first day of
Sept. 14
Short session –
Jan. 24
May 29th, July
classes (2 business days after
24 – 48 hours
16th
purchase after the 1st week)
from purchase
depending on
date purchased.
Overstock returns begin
Titles with large excess will
Begins in
Jan. 7th
Begins in
June 4th, July 30th
have partial returns started as October
February
soon as 2-3 weeks after the
through
through
start of classes, other returns
November
March
are spaced out over 1-2
months after classes start.
Buyback
2 days prior to Reading Day
Dec. 8th –
No large buys.
May 1st –
No large buys.
rd
through the Finals Make-up
23
14th
Day
Rental Check-In Deadline
Last Day of Finals
Dec. 23rd
Tied into Spring May 14th
Aug. 20th
Term
How can I get a desk or review copy?
Most publishers now require that the faculty requesting the copy contact them directly (to ensure that review copies aren’t sold at
the store). Some will require information on orders that we have placed and we’d be happy to provide you with this or any contact
information we have. Desk and review copies can take a while to arrive – we suggest submitting requests early!
How do I place my order / let you know what I’m using?
We can accept your order in a number of ways: the paper form, email, a visit, or online. Before deciding on books, we’d also
encourage you to visit rent-a-text.com where you’ll be able to see if the materials you’ve chosen are rentable or search by subject
matter if you are open to alternatives! Our online tool allows you to log in and submit your requests online, it can be accessed by:
1. Open a web browser and go to www.salem.bkstr.com
2. Towards the bottom of the page (on on the bottom navigation bar), click on “Online Adoptions”
3. Sign in using your username and password or register for a new account (the password required to register a new
account is “0198”)
4. Review previously used materials, enter a new order, get information about new editions or formats, etc.!
Should I tell you if I’m requiring supplies or materials other than textbooks or am not requiring anything at all?
Yes! When you place your order, please let us know of any course material you are requiring or recommending from textbooks to
novels to lab supplies to art supplies to nursing instruments or if nothing is required for the course. We want to be a one-stop-shop
for your students so all their needs are on campus and they can use their financial aid book vouchers if they need assistance with the
cost of books and supplies.
Faculty Information: How does the Bookstore work?
FAQ regarding the partnership between the Bookstore & Faculty
I’d like to use an old edition (to save students money, or any reason), is that ok?
It depends. Generally, we aren’t able to acquire enough copies of an old edition (publishers don’t print them anymore once a new
edition comes out) to guarantee enough copies of the book for what we anticipate selling. We also will not order as many copies of
an old edition because they are generally available so widely through other, less expensive, channels. We are always happy to check
and see if we can accommodate you. Please keep in mind that using an old edition does not save your students money – old
editions will never be rentable and they will have $0 in buyback value.
Can I change my book order?
When you submit a book order, we start reserving used copies with a later ship date immediately. Due to this, we greatly appreciate
orders to be final upon submission. Don’t be afraid to ask though! Sometimes it isn’t too late, or if you are willing to change your
original book to “recommended” and the new book to “required” we might be able to work something out. If it is a significant book
change or if your teaching assignment changes – we will be happy to make changes for you.
When is the latest I can order books?
We set deadlines in order to make sure we have enough time to make proper decisions – so please try and get your orders in by the
deadline or as soon as possible if you are a new hire or your teaching assignment changes. We will follow-up with individual faculty
and department chairs with lists of missing orders as the upcoming semester approaches. If you wait (please don’t!), books can take
1-2 weeks to arrive and we can’t guarantee arrival before the start of classes for orders that are placed late. Also, it is important to
remember that your students can start purchasing books as soon as the website opens, which is much earlier than the start date!
Why do you need my book order so early, especially for Fall?
Since we carry over 1900 titles per semester, we need time to enter the information and research titles to see if there are edition
changes or stock issues that we need to share with you. We also need time to place orders for custom books or international
vendors that have a very long lead time. The deadline for fall orders comes early due to summer – many people are away on
vacation and the website opens in late July / early August, so the timeline is shorter than it seems!
How do you determine how many to order? Or Why don’t you order as many books as I request?
There are many factors we take into account when determining how many copies of a book to order. We receive regular enrollment
updates from the Registrar and do not order higher than current enrollment (but will order more as enrollment increases). In
addition to enrollment we also look at prior sales history and returns if applicable, look to see how many copies at what prices are
available online, check edition status (if it is a new edition we would expect to sell more and less if it were older), is it rentable?, is it
available digitally?, is the package less expensive if we offer used or rentable components in addition to the new access code or lab
manual?, did we not have the book order at Buyback and therefore there are many copies on campus (student-student sales).
We are happy to discuss these decisions with you and get your input, as well as to share sales information as the semester goes on.
If there is a specific title that you are concerned with, or a course that always seems to have a problem, please discuss it with us
prior to the start of the term so we can work together to try and solve the problem.
Why do you return overstock books so early / at all?
This is a necessary part of the business cycle in order to begin again. If you have a book that is used later in the semester, or that
you know many students haven’t purchased yet – please let us know so we can work with our vendors on keeping it longer. There
are two main reasons for returning books and the timeline – expiring invoices and used books. When we purchase books from a
vendor, we only have a limited time to return excess copies. If books are kept beyond this period, we are stuck with them and
cannot use those funds to purchase books for the next term. In addition, if we don’t return books it effects the possibility of getting
that book used the following term and reduces the number of copies we can take back from students at the end of the term. In
order to be a successful business and try and save out students money, we can’t hold on to our inventory for a full semester.
Why are books so expensive?
Book prices and edition changes are primarily determined by the publisher (and our contract with the University), and are based
upon factors such as run size, copyrights, binding, etc. Publishers are aware that book prices are rising and have begun offering
alternative products like digital formats and loose-leaf products. However, a used book or a rental book still saves your student the
most money. If we list a book as "required", the faculty member has determined that it is an essential part of the course. The
Bookstore will also list certain items as "recommended" or "store suggested"; these are supplemental materials that are not
required but have been deemed helpful or useful by the faculty or store. You may also see “choice” or “choice component” as usage
Faculty Information: How does the Bookstore work?
FAQ regarding the partnership between the Bookstore & Faculty
indicators – these items are required but you have a choice about format (digital vs. physical book) or pieces (buying a
package/bundle or individual pieces).
How does the Higher Education Opportunity & Affordability Act (HEOA) affect me?
In 2009, HEOA updated policies and provisions for colleges and publishers. The Textbook Provision of this Act requires publishers to
do a number of things including offering pieces of packages or bundles separately in addition to releasing information regarding the
differences between editions to faculty upon request. We’ve also partnered with SSU to fulfill the requirements about releasing
book information at the point of student registration to attempt and make the cost of books associates with courses more
transparent for students.
What is Buyback and how does it work?
Buyback is the process where students can sell back books they no longer need or want to the Bookstore. We offer this service every
day, but it is most profitable for students to wait until finals weeks to sell them back for cash. Titles being used on campus for the
next term that are in good condition (no water damage, broken spines or excessive highlighting or underlining) can be worth up to
50% back of the purchase price. If the book is not being used on campus next term or we take back as many as we need for next
term, we offer a "national" value, which is generally 10-30% of the purchase price. Please note, if you don’t tell us what you are
using before Buyback, we will only be able to offer students this national value.
How much do students pay for books and how can I help save them money?
We tell people to expect to spend between $350 and $700 per semester. However, the cost of books per semester varies greatly
depending on what courses are being taken and what format students choose (rental, used, digital, new). We’d ask that you review
the cost saving options discussed below in addition to only requiring books they’ll definitely need and recommending books that
might be useful. A student’s perceived value of a book makes up for the cost if they find it integral to the course.
What options does the Bookstore offer to save my students money?
Our students saved more than $1,122,225 last year by taking advantage of our used textbook inventory, rental program, digital
offerings and buyback! Renting books offers the greatest overall savings, followed closely by purchasing used books.
Rent-A-Text This is the Bookstore’s own rental program, available in-store or online. Students must register to rent which
requires being 18 years of age or older, signing a rental agreement, and having a valid credit card and ID in their name. This
rental program is available on approximately 45% of the 1900+ titles we carry per term and provides a savings of 45-55% off
the price of a new book (less off a small portion of rentals that have a new and used rental price). Rentals are for a single
semester and the deadline for check-in is the last day of finals. Books must be returned in a re-usable condition – so we
suggest purchasing an item if the title is a reference title or if heavy note-taking or multiple color highlighting is helpful in
the learning process.
Used Books About 30% of our books are available used – but they go fast! Purchasing a used book saves about 25% off the
price of a new book and is eligible for buyback.
Digital Digital materials (or eBooks) can save students about 35% off the price of a new book. Follett's ebook division,
CafeScribe (cafescribe.com), is like the Facebook of eBooks and gives students the opportunity to share or subscribe to
other users' notes, highlight and note-take, and print sections for reference. It also has a number of useful tools for faculty
which creates an interactive textbook. CafeScribe 2.0 is a cloud-based program accessible by any device (other than a Nook
or Kindle) that can access the internet.
Custom Books The savings on custom books varies. Custom books offer a wide variety of options for faculty from creating
their own bound lab manuals, to printing an out-of-print title, or by only binding chapters or sections of a book (or books)
that will be used in a class instead of having students buy a book of which they’ll only use 3 chapters.
Pieces of packages/bundles We like to give our students choices – sometimes pre-packaging or bundling together textbooks
and lab manuals or study guides or access codes is the most cost efficient option. But, if a part of that package can be sold
used or rented, the savings might be greater by buying the components separately. In this case, we would try to offer the
package in addition to the individual components. If a publisher identifies an access code as an integrated part of the book
(the access is useless without the book or the book is useless without the access), we cannot offer this option.
How do students know what books they need before the first day of classes?
Once students complete their class registration and receive a copy of their schedule, they can check the book lists online or in-store
using their course and section numbers to determine what course materials are needed. Required and recommended materials will
Faculty Information: How does the Bookstore work?
FAQ regarding the partnership between the Bookstore & Faculty
be viewable here IF you have submitted your book order to us. We encourage you to check the website (see instructions below) or
stop in-store to confirm that we’ve gotten your order 100% correct.
1. Open a web browser and go to www.salem.bkstr.com
2. Under the “Books” Navigation bar, click on the "Textbooks & Course Materials" link
3. Using the drop down boxes, select "All" as your program
4. Using the drop down boxes, select "Fall 2012" as your term
5. Using the drop down boxes and your course schedule, select the department, course number, and section number (if
applicable) for the course you'd like to view and click “Submit”.
6. Course Materials lists will be available if you’ve submitted and we’ve entered your order.
What is the return policy for students?
Full refunds and exchanges (for purchased and rented items) are available for 1 week from the start of classes with the original sales
receipt for books in their purchased condition. With a withdrawal slip and receipt, students should see a manager within 2 days of
the withdrawal to see if an exception is possible. After this time, students have 2 days from the date of purchase for a full
exchange/refund. The original sales receipt is required for any return or exchange (if unavailable, or if the book is not in its original
condition - the Buyback value is all we can offer). Purchases by check must provide proof of the check clearing if the purchase was
within the last 7 days. All access codes and single use products must be unused and in new condition for a return.
What happens if a book sells out or gets returned before a student buys it?
If a book sells out, we often have more on the way and students should see a sales associate or order online to pre-pay and
guarantee themselves a copy. During the first few weeks of classes, we expedite shipping to get any pre-orders or backordered items
in within 2-3 days of the order being placed. If a book needs to be ordered later into the semester, the same process of pre-ordering
or ordering online should be followed and books arrive in a week or less. We’d also suggest that students consider a digital version
which would be available immediately upon purchase or may have a “try Now, Buy Later” version on cafescribe.com.
Why should my students buy from the Bookstore, can't they get the books cheaper somewhere else?
Salem State University has contracted Follett Higher Education Group to provide Bookstore services to the campus and the
Bookstore is the sole resource for materials on campus. On a more personal level, the University and the Bookstore have partnered
to serve SSU students and keep their best interests at heart. We work together to save students money by offering a variety of
textbook formats (new, used, digital, and rental) and we support each other in these efforts. By supporting the Bookstore, you
support the university since we are one of their income sources. We are also the only direct link and source for course materials
between you and your students. We can't deny that there are other sources out there - but those sources are often individual sellers
who have no direct connection to the campus, can misrepresent their product in condition or description, and do not guarantee
refunds or exchanges if the product is wrong, a student switches classes, drops a class, or the books for a course change. A good rule
of thumb with textbooks online is that if it seems too good to be true, it probably isn’t the right item. By shopping with us the
students get exactly what you’ve required, in their choice of condition and format, from a source right on campus, and the ability to
return or exchange should circumstances change.
What can I do if I have more questions, have a problem, or want to discuss an issue?
Please reach out to us – we can only fix a problem if we know about it! If additional questions or concerns arise, please email us at
salem@bkstr.com or call us at 978-542-3808 to speak with the Course Materials Manager or Store Manager.