Books4Less

DACC Bookstore Integrated Services Program

Effective Fall 2022 DACC will begin a new integrated books/materials program for all classes.  In partnership with the DACC bookstore, we will be providing all required course material needed in courses for a flat $24 per credit hour.  Students will be able to pick up or access all needed print or electronic textbooks and learning materials without paying anything more out of pocket on the first day of class. Students wishing to opt out of this program for the semester and purchase materials on their own will be given the opportunity to do so before the start of the fall term.  Additional information on this program will be available in canvas for all courses.

Integrated Access (aka Follett Access)

The integrated access approach provides that all books/materials are available to the student on the first day of class.  Digital materials are provided directly through links into Canvas (DACC’s Learning Management System) where they can be accessed immediately on computers and mobile devices, and physical materials are available from the bookstore on the first day of class.

The students are charged for the course materials when they register for the course, the same way as tuition.  Materials in this approach are able to be provided at significant cost savings to the student based on predictability in demand and consistency of content.

DACC seeks to implement this approach to improve course success, reduce course drops and withdrawals, increase retention and graduation, increase affordability, and promote equity by leveling the playing field from a financial and socio-economic standpoint.

Important Points of Consideration

• DACC currently has over 200 courses and 2 entire programs (Education and Criminal Justice) utilizing the integrated access option.  We are proposing to apply this to all programs and courses effective fall 2022. 

   

• Current average cost per credit hour for DACC students in fall 2021 and spring 2022 is $36 per credit.

• As part of implementing this for all courses, students would have 100% of their course materials for a proposed $24 per credit which equates to $72 for a 3 credit course or $288 for full-time or 12 credits.  This represents more than 33% cost savings from the current average.

• Does not increase student costs but shifts purchase of books/materials from out of pocket cost after course begins to credit hour fee charged with course registration.  Students are not negatively impacted by financial aid delays or forced to make decisions to forgo books/materials because of cost.

• Provides predictability of total educational costs per semester.

• Provides equitable access to course materials for all students.  All students have an even playing field on day 1. All students will have the same edition of adopted materials.

• Digital materials can be immediately accessed on iPads provided to DACC students as part of the DACC Apple Xcite Initiative.

• Price guaranteed for two years.  Future costs will be based on actual average adoption costs and includes great potential to decrease as adoptions are streamlined and digital options expanded.

• Students are opting for cost saving digital options over physical books.  In Spring 2022, 82% of DACC student purchases were digital options.  Students are opting for digital content over physical content for course materials.

• Students have the option to opt-out of the program.

• Faculty still have academic freedom to choose materials that best fit their class curriculum.