Lander University's Bearcat Shop has partnered with the largest textbook supplier in the nation, Barnes & Noble College Services (BNC), to provide students with an enhanced online platform for textbook purchases and delivery.
According to Jeffrey Hopkins, director of Auxiliary Services at Lander University, BNC currently serves the needs of nearly half a million students nationwide, with over 7 million books housed in their Columbia, Mo., facility. "Along with ensuring that course materials will be available when the academic terms begin," said Hopkins, "this program provides convenient ordering, accurate and timely fulfillment, and better overall services for our students."
Additionally, BNC maintains a list of Lander University courses and materials, and promptly notifies students in the event of a change. Students will now have access to the online bookstore at any time, and will have the option to sell back their textbooks to BNC using the company's convenient buyback option. All orders are shipped via UPS from BNC within 24 hours of purchase, excluding weekends and holidays.
Hopkins also noted that the conveniences added by the BNC partnership are "more important now than ever," due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. "During move-in and the first week of classes, we are usually shoulder-to-shoulder in the Bearcat Shop," said Hopkins. "In the new world of social distancing and limited number of shoppers in retail establishments, ordering online will prevent the overcrowding in the former textbook area of the Bearcat Shop. Students will be able to walk in and give us their name, and their books will be ready for them to pick up."
According to Hopkins, the new platform offers more rental titles than were previously available to students, and provides specific buyback values at the time of purchase. Additionally, students are given flexible payment options, and are able to make their purchases using credit/debit cards or PayPal, as well as financial aid. "We are very excited for this new opportunity to give students a more convenient and time-efficient way to purchase textbooks," Hopkins said.