MSC Bookstore To Offer Students Opportunity To Purchase Texts As Part Of Registration

When Texas A&M students register for their spring 2011 courses, beginning on Thursday (Nov. 18), they will find that acquiring the right textbooks for their courses just got a whole lot easier, thanks to the university and the MSC Bookstore launching a new textbook registration integration system.

Although no student is obligated to purchase their textbooks from the MSC Bookstore, Shane Hinckley, Texas A&M’s assistant vice president for business development, believes the new system will be a significant benefit for our students. “Not only will they save time and, most likely money,” Hinckley says, “but also the system eliminates any confusion about whether or not they’re purchasing the right books for the right course.”

Holley Scott, manager of the on-campus bookstore, notes that after students register, they can simply click on a link that automatically transfers their course information to the MSC Bookstore’s website, where they can immediately see a list of the books and materials, including prices, they need for their courses.

“That means they can order the right books at the same time they register,” Scott adds. “It’s simple, saves time and provides earlier access to our used book supply.”

She points out the system provides several purchasing options, new and used books, as well as digital versions and rental.

“Students can now rent their books for less than 50 percent of the cost of purchasing a new textbook,” Scott says. “Rentals can be highlighted and underlined just as with any purchased book, and they’re not due back until the last day of finals.”

Bookstore employees work throughout the year to obtain textbook information directly from faculty members/departments and then enter this data into the database that receives each student’s registration information.

“Students are assured that the only data transferred is course information, meaning no personal data about any student is transmitted to the bookstore’s database,” Scott emphasizes.

Students also can decide whether they want their books waiting for them at the MSC Bookstore or shipped to them directly.

“If they register for a course before the bookstore has received the textbook information, they can place a pre-order, which will convert to an order and be processed accordingly once the faculty member provides the book information,” Scott notes.

Also, Hinckley reminds that around $1.5 million per year of the MSC Bookstore proceeds are provided to the university for support of scholarships and student programs.

The MSC Bookstore is operated by Barnes & Noble, which created the new registration integration system.