The Arcadia University Bookstore: A Comprehensive Guide

Arcadia University, steeped in a rich history dating back to 1853, offers its students, faculty, and community members a comprehensive bookstore. This article delves into the various aspects of the Arcadia University Bookstore, including its offerings, services, and connections to the wider university community.

A Legacy of Learning: From Beaver Female Seminary to Arcadia University

The roots of Arcadia University trace back to 1853 when Sylvania (Jones) Stevens, Juliet A. (Poundstone) Avery, and other students accompanied Rev. Sheridan Baker to the Beaver Female Seminary in Beaver, Pennsylvania. Stevens and Avery became the first graduates of the seminary in 1856. The university has undergone many transformations since then. Kenneth Samen's book focuses on the Glenside, Pennsylvania, campus up until the transition to Arcadia University in 2001. Samen, a 1992 graduate of Beaver College/Arcadia University with a BA in Communications, has worked for Prudential Insurance Company of America for 27 years and this is his third title with Arcadia Publishing. His research involved delving into his postcard collection, university archives, historical societies, and institutional collections.

Textbook Central: Purchase, Rental, and Price Matching

The Arcadia University Bookstore is the primary source for textbooks and course materials. The Campus Store offers both new and used textbooks for purchase. To ensure affordability, the bookstore offers a price-matching program. If a student finds an identical, in-stock textbook for rent or purchase at a lower price elsewhere (e.g., Amazon, Barnes & Noble), the bookstore will match it at the register. Additionally, the Campus Store buys back used books, providing students with an opportunity to recoup some of their expenses.

Follett ACCESS: Revolutionizing Course Material Affordability

Arcadia University actively embraces affordability and equity through the Follett ACCESS program. This model provides all required course materials to students for one equal price, billed to their student account on an opt-out basis. Follett ACCESS embraces technology and ensures all students have access to the necessary materials from day one. Despite this initiative, instructors retain complete academic freedom to select the materials best suited for student learning, including Open Educational Resources (OER). Students are encouraged to lock in their prices as they change daily.

Ordering and Shipping Information

The Arcadia University Bookstore processes online orders efficiently. Typically, all books are in stock and ready to ship. Most orders deliver within 4-10 business days from the order date, excluding weekends and holidays. Due to books shipping from various warehouses, orders may arrive in multiple cartons. The bookstore accepts various payment methods for online purchases, including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, PayPal, Purchase Orders, and P-Cards.

Read also: Arcadia University Fees

More Than Just Books: Electronics and Supplies

Beyond textbooks, the Arcadia University Bookstore offers a range of electronics and supplies to support students' academic and personal lives. These include essentials such as earphones/buds, flash drives, and external hard drives.

Community Engagement: Senior Scholars Program

Arcadia University extends its educational resources to the local community through the Community Scholars program. This program offers senior scholars (age 60 and older) the opportunity to audit courses at a special rate of $250 per course. Most undergraduate courses are available for auditing during the fall and spring semesters.

Accessing Courses and Resources for Community Scholars

Senior scholars can access a full listing of courses offered each semester through the self-service page. After determining a course of interest, community scholars complete an Audit Request Form, which is then reviewed and processed by the registrar’s office. The registrar's office will contact the scholar if additional information is needed or to confirm the request's completion. Registered auditors can find their course and section room assignments on Self Service. Textbooks for audited courses can be purchased just before or during the first week of class. Auditors can use books and materials in Landman Library, and they may also dine in the Dining Hall. Parking permits are issued to students attending classes in the spring or fall semesters and are sent directly from Public Safety.

Dining and Amenities

The Arcadia University campus offers various dining options. The Dining Hall provides cafeteria-style meals, including a salad bar. The Chat, located on the first floor of the Commons building, offers deli and grill items, salads, fruit, desserts, and snacks.

Important Locations Nearby

For convenience, here are some important locations near Arcadia University:

Read also: Your Guide to Arcadia University

Banks: Citizens Bank (139 S. Easton Rd., Glenside), Wells Fargo (161 S. Easton Rd., Glenside)
Pharmacies: CVS (2622 Jenkintown Rd., Glenside; 835 Old York Rd., Jenkintown, PA; 1600 East Wadsworth Avenue, Philadelphia), Walgreens (901 Old York Rd., Jenkintown, PA; 1 Yorktown Plaza, Elkins Park; 2727 West Cheltenham Avenue, Wyncote, PA.)
Churches: United Ghanaian Community Church (Waverly Rd., Glenside), Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church (East), Maple Glen Bible Fellowship Church (700 Welsh Rd., Maple Glen), St. Luke the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church (2316 Fairhill Ave., Glenside), St. David’s Church (316 N. Easton Rd., Willow Grove), Mt. Airy Church of God (6401 Ogontz Ave., Philadelphia), Episcopal Church of Our Savior (821 Homestead Rd., Jenkintown), St. Peter’s Church (654 N. Easton Rd., Glenside), St. John’s Episcopal Church (1309 Old Welsh Rd., Huntington Valley), Glenside Bible Church (447 Keswick Ave., Glenside), St. Paul’s Evangelical Church (120 N. Easton Rd. & Mt. Carmel Ave., Glenside), Calvary Orthodox Presbyterian Church (734 Willow Grove Ave., Glenside), New Life Presbyterian Church (467 N. Easton Rd. Glenside), Calvary Presbyterian Church, Mt. Carmel Presbyterian Church (100 Edge Hill Rd., Glenside)
Meeting Places: Abington Friends Meeting (520 Meetinghouse Rd. & Greenwood Ave., Jenkintown), Germantown Friends Meeting (47 W. Coulter Rd., Philadelphia)
Synagogues: Adath Jeshurun, Beth Shalom (8231 Old York Rd., Elkins Park), Keneseth Israel Reform Congregation (8339 Old York Rd., Elkins Park), Old York Road Temple Beth Am (971 Old York Rd., Abington)
Other Religious Centers: Bux-Mont Unitarian Fellowship (2040 West Street Road, Warrington), Unitarian Universalist Church of the Restoration (6900 Stenton Ave.., Philadelphia), Lighthouse Fellowship United (137 N. Easton Rd., Glenside)
Shopping Centers: Cedarbrook Plaza (1000 Easton Rd., Wyncote), Cheltenham Square Mall (2385 W. Cheltenham Ave.), Chestnut Hill (Germantown Pike, Chestnut Hill), King of Prussia Mall (160 North Gulph Road, King of Prussia), Manayunk (Main Street, Manayunk), Montgomery Mall (Rt. 309 past Rt. 202, North Wales, 230 Montgomery Mall, North Wales, PA 19454), Plymouth Meeting Mall (500 W. Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting), Willow Grove Park Mall (Easton, Moreland & Old Welsh Roads, Willow Grove)

Ajay Nair's Presidency

Dr. Ajay Nair, a nationally recognized expert in student affairs and an accomplished scholar of social justice, race, and ethnicity, was appointed president of Arcadia University in April 2018 and inaugurated in October 2018.

Read also: Enriching Education

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