Proposed Bookstore Services

A.  Nursing Program Textbooks

1.  Vermont Tech will no longer purchase and re-sell textbooks. This will eliminate the handling, delivery and return of books by the Nursing sites and charging student accounts for 100% of students.

2.  Nursing textbooks will be available through E-Follett and at the Bookstore.

3.  Nursing textbooks will be ordered early and available for purchase by May 1st (June for the Fall 2004 Term). It is understood that used books may not be available due to the early ordering.

4.  Vermont Tech Bookstore Vouchers will not be available for early orders. Vouchers may be available for use shortly before Registration Day.

B.  E-Follett Orders

  1. E-Follett will list textbooks and courses in three categories: Main Campus, Chittenden County, and Nursing Program.
  2. E-Follett orders will be checked at least twice a day by Bookstore staff.
  3. All E-Follett orders will be acknowledged after processing.
  4. Orders may be paid on-line by credit card or debit card or by mailing a check.
  5. Paid E-Follett orders will be shipped within 2 business days of receiving the order.
  6. Follett will provide the staffing necessary to meet the volume demands of E-Follett ordering.
  7. A method will be devised to process E-Follett orders using a Financial Aid voucher.

C.  Apprenticeship Program Textbooks

1.  Vermont Tech will no longer purchase (from sources other than Follett) and re-sell textbooks. This will eliminate the ordering, handling, delivery, selling and return of books by Vermont Tech staff. It will also eliminate the hiring of additional help to move books and rental of a storage facility. This will also increase Bookstore sales and commissions to Vermont Tech.

2.  Apprenticeship textbooks will be available through E-Follett and at the Bookstore.

3.  Textbooks will be available by July 15th.

4.  The Bookstore will be open for a few hours on the Apprenticeship kick-off day to allow late applicants to purchase books.

5.  Apprenticeship Employers may use E-Follett to order textbooks for their employees and payment will be made directly to Follett by credit card or by check. Orders will be shipped to the Employer for delivery to students.

6.  The Bookstore will rent storage space for a limited amount of time, if space becomes an issue during the high volume period.

D.  Blair Park Campus & New Allied Health Programs

1.  Textbooks will be available through E-Follett and at the Bookstore.

E.  Textbook Buyback

1.  Each semester before textbook buyback begins, a list should be distributed by the Bookstore and posted on the LINC. It should list all VTC textbooks for that semester and indicate whether or not it is eligible for buyback and the price.

2.  Faculty should be encouraged to check the list for their courses and to make an announcement in class as a reminder to students.

3.  Our joint goal is that no student brings in a textbook that has no value and that students are not surprised and disappointed by the price they receive.

4.  Buyback services will be provided on-site at Blair Park at a mutually agreed time that is convenient to the students schedule.

5.  We need to work on how to accommodate the Nursing sites in Brattleboro, Bennington, and the extended campus.

Communications

  1. Textbook Adoptions

1.  Encourage Faculty teaching a summer course to use the same textbook that was used in the prior year. Students that need to repeat the course will already have the textbook.

2.  Warn Faculty to be wary of delivery dates on a new edition, to be concerned if a preview edition is not complete or is only available in segments.

3.  Separate book adoption forms are required if a course is offered at Blair Park. It must indicate which campus (Blair Park or Randolph Center) and give the estimated enrollment for that campus. Nursing Program adoption forms are by program even if there are multiple locations.

4.  Vermont Tech will encourage timely submission of adoption forms and when delays are unavoidable, Vermont Tech will try to communicate to students regarding the impact it might have on their buyback.

  1. New Programs

1.  Vermont Tech is responsible for informing Follett of new programs, new campus’s, and additional service needs.

2.  Vermont Tech will work closely with Follett on the Apprenticeship Program textbooks for this first year. Vermont Tech will be proactive in providing estimated numbers, statistics from past years, and our prior experiences to be sure that there are no surprises.

3.  Information will be mailed to Apprenticeship students to notify them about textbook availability on E-Follett and will include instructions.

  1. Future Communication and Feedback

1.  A Bookstore Advisory Council should be established to foster better communication and to monitor progress. Representatives should include Faculty, Staff and Students from both the main campus and other campus sites. Meetings should be held at least twice a year and possibly quarterly.

2.  A customer satisfaction survey should be done twice a year and the results reviewed by the Advisory Council.