In collaboration with Follett Higher Education Group, the Cerritos College Bookstore has announced it will launch a textbook rental program in the fall.
Robin E. Lee, the campus bookstore manager, sent out flyers to college faculty last week and is now working with Follett to finalize the contract students will sign when renting their books.
“I am very excited about the program, because I see it only helping students,” Lee said.
With book rentals available next fall, Cerritos College will be one of Follett’s 450 new partnering campuses to implement the Rent-A-Text program.
Nursing student Sophanya Yeang looks forward to the flexibility offered by the rental program.
“Students would benefit from having options—more options allow people to adapt to what fits them.”
Rent-A-Text perks include up to 55% in savings by renting new and used textbooks, as well as the option to buy rented books before the end of the term for the remainder of the purchase price.
Students 18 years of age and older who wish to rent their books will need to sign a contract and leave a logoed credit card on file to be charged in the event that books are not returned by the due date.
Minors who would like to rent their books can have an adult sign the user agreement, as long as the name of the person signing the contract matches the name on the credit card left on file.
Falcon Cards, refund disbursement cards issued to students who receive financial aid, can also be used to pay rental fees and to leave on file.
Aside from leaving their credit card information, renters will also need to leave an e-mail address in order to receive reminders from the bookstore starting ten days before books are due.
“Students will receive a ton of reminders,” Lee assures.
If a book is not returned by the due date, the last day of final exams for any given semester, the credit card on file will be charged the remainder of the book’s purchase price, as well as a 10% restocking fee, adding up to 110% of the purchase price.
Jonathan Velasquez, undecided major, worries some students will forget to return their books on time.
“I would think twice about renting,” Velasquez said.
“I wouldn’t want to end up paying more than what [a book] is worth.”
While Follett reports the Rent-A-Text program has received a 98% satisfaction rate from customers on other campuses, Lee recognizes that every campus is different and plans to make changes based on student feedback.
“Once we really get into the program here, we’ll be able to gauge how much it is helping students.”
One such improvement will be to make more materials available for rent.
As of now, packages and bundles, textbooks with study guides and textbooks with website access codes, will be available for sale, but not for rent.
Lee is optimistic about working with instructors to offer the most titles available and help students save money.
“The faculty at Cerritos is very concerned about making sure that its students have the materials necessary for success and textbook rental will help make that possible.”
