Navigating Textbook Rentals at Rowan University: A Comprehensive Guide
For students at Rowan University, managing the cost of textbooks is a significant concern. To address this, Rowan University, in collaboration with Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, offers various textbook options, including a rental program and the First Day® Complete program. This article provides a detailed overview of these programs, their features, and related policies to help students make informed decisions.
Textbook Rental Program
Overview
The Rowan University Bookstore, operated by Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, introduced a multi-channel textbook rental program designed to reduce the financial burden on students. According to Paul Maloney, Vice President at Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, this program allows students to rent textbooks for less than 50% of the cost of purchasing a new printed textbook. This initiative aims to provide a competitive and affordable option for students seeking course materials.
Key Features
- Cost Savings: Rent textbooks for a fraction of the purchase price.
- Payment Flexibility: Rental fees can be paid using various forms of tender accepted by the bookstore, including student financial aid and campus debit cards.
- Highlighting and Marking: Students can highlight and mark rented books as if they owned them.
- Option to Purchase: Students have the option to convert their rental into a purchase during the first two weeks of class.
- Rental Period: The rental period lasts for the duration of the term or semester.
- Return Deadline: Books must be returned to the bookstore no later than 10 days after the last day of finals.
Important Considerations
- Credit Card Requirement: A valid credit card must be provided for security purposes, even if the rental fee is paid using other methods. This card will be used to cover replacement and processing fees if books are not returned or are returned in unusable condition.
- Return Policy: Books not returned or returned in unusable condition will be subject to replacement and processing fees.
How to Participate
- In-Store: Look for signs in the book aisle indicating which textbooks are available for rent.
- Online: When shopping online at the Rowan University Bookstore website, the "Rental" option will be displayed alongside "New" and "Used" options, if available.
First Day® Complete Program
Overview
First Day® Complete is a course material delivery model designed to simplify the student experience while lowering the cost of materials. This program ensures that students have access to all required course materials, including textbooks, eTextbooks, lab manuals, and access codes, on or before the first day of class. The charge for textbook rentals through this program appears on the semester term bill as a "First Day Complete" line item.
Key Features
- Comprehensive Materials: Provides all required textbooks, eTextbooks, lab manuals, and access codes.
- Convenience: Ensures materials are available on or before the first day of class.
- Billing: The charge for textbook rentals is included in the semester term bill.
Opt-Out Option
- Course-by-Course Basis: Students can opt-out of the First Day® Complete program each semester during the opt-out window on a course-by-course basis.
- Consequences of Opting Out: Students who opt-out will not receive their required materials in a convenient package, and access to digital content will be removed after the opt-out window closes.
Important Policies
- Textbook Return Deadline: The deadline to return all rental textbooks is the last day of final exams for the semester. Failure to return rentals by the deadline will result in a replacement fee.
- Continuation Courses: Textbooks for continuation courses must still be returned by the deadline.
- Material Availability: If a student does not opt-out, their materials will be held at the bookstore, and their student account will be charged.
- Dropping a Class: If course materials have been picked up or delivered for a dropped class, they must be returned to the bookstore within 48 hours. If a student drops a class and enrolls in a different one, the bookstore will "swap" the required course materials.
Opt-Out After Picking Up Textbooks
Students can't opt-out if they picked up their textbooks?
General Policies and Procedures
Payment Methods
Most forms of payment accepted at the bookstore can be used for rentals. A credit card must be kept on file for potential charges related to late returns or damages.
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Financial Aid
Students can use financial aid to pay for textbook rentals.
Rental Period
The rental period begins on the day the textbook rental is paid for and continues until the last day of finals.
Returning Textbooks
- In-Person: All rented textbooks must be returned to the bookstore in good condition by the rental return due date.
- By Mail: A return shipping label is available online for students who need to return textbooks by mail.
Return Policy
The same return policy applies to rented textbooks as to purchased textbooks, provided the student has their receipt and returns the textbook in good condition, along with any original components.
Book Condition
- Acceptable Use: Normal use of highlighting and writing is permitted.
- Unacceptable Condition: The bookstore can refuse to accept a rental book if it is not returned in good condition, which includes:
- Intact book spine
- No excessive damage to cover or contents
- All original pages intact
- All original components present
- No excessive highlighting, writing, or other markings
Fees for Damaged or Unreturned Books
- Replacement Cost: 75% of the new book price at the time of purchase.
- Non-Return Processing Fee: 7.5% of the new book price at the time of purchase.
- Total Charge: The credit card on file will be charged the replacement cost plus the non-return processing fee for any book not returned to the bookstore, regardless of the reason. The student will then own the book.
Additional Resources for Finding Textbooks
Besides the Rowan University Bookstore, students can explore other resources for finding textbooks:
- AbeBooks: A great source for used medical/health sciences books.
- Amazon: Offers new and used medical/health sciences books.
- eCampus.Com: Provides inexpensive new and used textbooks and rentals.
- Textbooks.Com: Allows students to buy new and used textbooks, rent, download, and sell books.
- Direct Textbook: Searches many online bookstores for cheap textbooks.
- Rittenhouse Book: Specializes in health sciences books.
Data Privacy and Protection
Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, LLC, along with its subsidiaries, collects, uses, and discloses personal information through various channels, including online platforms, in-person interactions, and customer service channels. The company is committed to protecting the privacy of its users and adheres to applicable privacy laws, including the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).
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Information Collection
- Information Provided by Users: This includes information provided during registration, which is optional but required for certain features.
- Information Collected Automatically: Data collected through tracking technologies.
- Information from External Sources: Information from friends, vendors, customers, educational institutions, advertising networks, and affiliates.
Use of Information
The collected information is used for various purposes, including:
- Providing and improving services
- Personalizing content and advertising
- Analyzing performance and user behavior
- Protecting the rights, property, and safety of BNED, its users, and other parties
Disclosure of Information
BNED may disclose personal information to:
- Vendors and institutions
- Government and law enforcement authorities
- Affiliates
- Third parties for advertising purposes
Tracking Technologies
BNED and its vendors use tracking technologies such as cookies to collect information about users. These technologies are used for analytics, advertising, and to improve the user experience.
User-Generated Content
Users may post or submit user-generated content (UGC) to the Services. If users choose to submit UGC to any public area of the Services, the UGC will be considered “public” and will be accessible by anyone, including BNED. Personal information included in UGC is not subject to usage or sharing limitations and may be used and shared by BNED and other parties.
Children’s Privacy
The Services are not intended for children under the age of 16, and BNED does not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 16.
Read also: An Inside Look at Barnes & Noble
Security Measures
BNED takes steps to help protect personal information and maintains appropriate administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to help protect personal information collected or received through the Services.
California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)
California residents have specific rights under the CCPA, including the right to:
- Request deletion of personal information
- Request correction of inaccurate personal information
- Opt-out of the sale and sharing of personal information
- Limit the use and disclosure of sensitive personal information
Opt-Out Options
Users can exercise their privacy rights through various mechanisms, including:
- Browser settings to limit tracking technologies
- Mobile device settings to adjust advertising identifiers
- Opt-out preference signals
- Vendor-specific tools
tags: #Barnes #and #Noble #Rowan #University #textbook
