Faculty FAQ
Why work with the campus store?
There are a number of reasons to work with us - we make the ordering process as efficient as possible for you. Most of all, choosing the campus store, even when your materials are available elsewhere, benefits TRU’s students. Students using University financial aid programs or student sponsorships rely on booklists submitted through the campus store to access their materials. Students use our textbook search tool to find out what they need for the semester all in one place, even if they end up purchasing elsewhere. We need your help to keep accurate book lists.
Why are the campus store’s deadlines so early?
The campus store's timelines are set early to ensure course material is here for your class start date, at the lowest possible price. Here are some of the ways meeting the campus store's timelines help you, your students, the Campus Store, and the University:
- By combining orders from the same publisher, the campus store can reduce freight costs and pass those savings on to students.
- The campus store ensures there is enough time for the publisher to print and ship course material. The lead time on these books can be 4 - 8+ weeks.
- The campus store will have more time to source used books in the used book marketplace. We buy books back from previous students (putting money in their pockets) as well as finding them multiple different sources.
- On-time textbook requests also guide our decisions on which books to return to publishers from previous semesters and which to keep. This helps save on shipping costs.
Can I request textbooks late? What happens if I have missed the deadline?
Yes! We welcome textbook requests at any point in the semester and will always do our best to get books here as quickly and efficiently as possible. How quickly will depend on the volume of requests, the publisher, and availability.
If my adoption request is late, will your rush my order in?
Unfortunately, no. As you might imagine, textbooks are very expensive to ship. Air freight or express ground is extraordinarily expensive and the campus store cannot absorb the cost to rush books in for late requests. Orders not submitted by August will default to e-book only so material is available for the start of class.
Why don’t you bring in enough textbooks for every student enrolled in the class?
Many students will either decide not to purchase their books or buy them from an alternate source. The campus store bases purchasing decisions for each course based on the following:
- Demand in previous terms for the course, instructor, and book.
- Whether the book is required or not.
- How long the book has been in circulation.
- The price of the book, and whether other retailers can offer it at a substantially better price than we can.
- Whether there are other editions the students can use.
- Whether we can return unsold inventory.
I use an Open Educational Resource (OER), why do I need to tell the campus store?
The campus store shares OER adoption information with stakeholders on campus. This information is used to develop a list of zero cost material courses. The campus store will also link OER materials to your course on our website as students use the campus store’s textbook search tool to understand what is needed for their course material for the semester.
I do not use materials why do I need to tell the campus store?
Your students will come in, stop by, call and email asking about their course material. Whenever possible we like to be able to give them the information they are looking for. If you tell us you are not using any material we can relay that information. It is easy to tell us you are not using any material, just follow your personalized link to your course and click "No Text Required".
I never use a textbook, why do I need to report each term?
There are often several sections taught by different instructors. The campus store cannot assume each term/course will be taught the same as the last.
If I am adopting the same material as last term, do I need to submit a new request?
Yes! If a textbook doesn't have a new request, we return (when possible) all unsold books to the publisher at the end of each term. We've tried to make requesting the same book simple to do, you can simply "copy another adoption" in the textbook adoption management system.
How do I get used physical textbooks for my students?
Ordering early allows the campus store to source wholesale copies of used texts (if available) and to ensure enough copies are on hand. For used material, there are limited numbers of used copies in the market and if they are not ordered early other schools will purchase them for their inventory.
Why should I choose the campus store over direct from publisher, Amazon, Chapters, or another store?
Many of your students will come to the campus store looking to pick up everything they need for the semester in one place, and we want to be able to provide that service for them. Additionally, vendors may not have enough copies for your students, will only have a few at a good price, or may not carry the correct edition for your course.
The campus store can work with the publisher to ensure enough copies of the correct textbooks are available for your students. The campus store is a university-run department. Our goal, like yours, is student success; we are here to ensure your students have what they need to succeed in your course.
Where do my students purchase their upcoming term's course materials?
Students can go to the buy textbook page on our website to purchase their upcoming term's course materials one - two months prior to the course start date.
Will the campus store be selling printed course materials?
Yes, if possible. Many major publishers are moving to a digital first strategy where print runs are very limited. Physical copies also come with a delay, so if an adoption is placed too close to the start of term, physical texts would not be an option.