Alamo Colleges District Announces Launch of $17 Million Free Textbook Initiative
02 December 2021 - 1:00AM
Business Wire
The AlamoBOOKS+ program will provide free
textbooks to all returning and new students through a new
partnership with Barnes & Noble College
The Alamo Colleges District together with Barnes & Noble
Education, Inc. (NYSE: BNED), a leading solutions provider for
the education industry, today announced for Spring 2022 and Summer
2022 semesters, all returning and new students will receive their
required textbooks for free. The new and innovative program, called
AlamoBOOKS+, will provide all required textbooks and course
materials for students on all Alamo Colleges District campuses.
A partnership between Alamo Colleges District and Barnes &
Noble College, a BNED company, will enable the District to
implement a new course material delivery model that will eliminate
the cost of textbooks and ensure all students will have access to
all their textbooks, digital materials and instructional materials
across all courses by the first day of class. As a part of this new
partnership, Barnes & Noble College will also take over the
management of the District’s five college bookstores. Each location
will be a premier Barnes & Noble College bookstore, designed to
meet the needs of the Alamo Colleges District’s students and
faculty, providing dynamic social and academic hubs for each
campus.
The District plans on investing up to $17 million from Higher
Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) Grants to make the Spring
2022 and Summer 2022 offer possible to the more than 65,000
students it serves.
“It’s too often that our students go without the textbooks they
need to succeed due to financial difficulties,” said Dr. Mike
Flores, Chancellor for the Alamo Colleges District. “We know
through our faculty and focus group discussions with our students
that many of them either go without textbooks during their studies,
or even have to take on an extra shift at work to cover the cost of
their course materials. We are committed to helping our students
every step of the way and that includes making this investment for
our students to succeed. While the free textbook offer stands for
two semesters, we will continue to look at ways we can further
alleviate these costs for our students in the future.”
Before the start of the term, students will receive an email
from their campus bookstore, prompting them to select their
preferred delivery method. The campus bookstores will prepare the
materials for each student, and notify them when the materials have
shipped or are available for in-store pickup. Digital materials
will be delivered directly to students through their school’s LMS.
The campus bookstore will continue to support students throughout
the semester and work with them to return any free rental course
materials that are due back at the end the term.
“We look forward to working with the Alamo Colleges District to
enhance the student learning experience through this new model of
course material delivery,” said Marc Eckhart, Vice President,
Strategic Partnerships for Barnes & Noble College. “AlamoBOOKS+
will ensure all students are prepared to begin learning on day one,
driving greater student success while also offering a more
affordable and convenient way for students to obtain their course
materials. We know AlamoBOOKS+ will deliver convenience,
flexibility and ease of use - and greatly benefit this campus
community.”
According to the College Board, the average two-year college
student spends more than $1,400 on books and materials over an
academic year.
AlamoBOOKS+ is one of many ways the Alamo Colleges District is
providing universal access to educational materials. In addition to
expanding strategies to reduce the cost of educational materials,
the District has launched a number of initiatives to address the
digital divide, such as loaner laptops, hotspots and park and learn
internet access across its campuses.
ABOUT ALAMO COLLEGES DISTRICT At the Alamo Colleges
District, high quality education and affordable costs provide
exceptional value to students and alumni who are major contributors
to the economy and culture of the community.
ABOUT BARNES & NOBLE EDUCATION, INC. Barnes & Noble
Education, Inc. (NYSE: BNED) is a leading solutions provider
for the education industry, driving affordability, access and
achievement at hundreds of academic institutions nationwide and
ensuring millions of students are equipped for success in the
classroom and beyond. Through its family of brands, BNED offers
campus retail services and academic solutions, a digital
direct-to-student learning ecosystem, wholesale capabilities and
more. BNED is a company serving all who work to elevate their lives
through education, supporting students, faculty and institutions as
they make tomorrow a better, more inclusive and smarter world. For
more information, visit www.bned.com.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211201005248/en/
Media: Carolyn J. Brown
Senior Vice President Corporate Communications & Public Affairs
908-991-2967 cbrown@bned.com
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