FIPSE Rent-a-Book Grant

Normandale Community College was awarded a $251,289 U.S. Department of Education grant to fund "Rent-a-Book at Normandale: Serving Students with a Textbook Rental Program." Karen Hernandez, Bookstore Manager, is heading a team that will (1) pilot a hybrid, limited-rental model; (2) conduct assessments and evaluations to guide further development of the program; (3) collect a one-time fee when the books are rented, and (4) test the potential for sustaining a textbook rental program through fees and fines. Information about textbooks available through this program can be found on the Bookstore's website.

U.S. Department of Education Grant Award Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE). Special Focus Competition: College Course Materials Rental Initiative. "Rent-a-Book at Normandale: Serving Students with a Textbook Rental Program."  Grant Award #P116Y090042.

Operating Guidelines

• Students wishing to participate in the rental program will need to show proof of registration in the class.
• Students must sign a contract with the bookstore detailing the conditions of the rental agreement including, length of time of rental, book condition and returns penalties should terms of the contract not be fulfilled.
• The Bookstore will designate 60 percent of the desired purchase quantities to be used in the rental program.
• The Bookstore will prepare for the program by tagging each book for rental with the appropriate identification marks and shelving the books in a predetermined location.
• The Bookstore will collect rental fees and track each book throughout the rental book's life cycle.
• All books used in the rental program will be recycled at the end of the period by one of the following means: sold to other students, sold on the Internet, sold to book wholesalers, or donated to organizations that provide materials to students in developing countries. 

Faculty Textbook Adoption Guidelines

•  Faculty within a department will submit a letter of intent to the Bookstore indicating their desire to be part of the rental program.
•  All faculties within a department teaching the specific course will agree to adopt the textbook for a period of six semesters (two years - includes summer session).
•  The faculty must agree to use of single text with hardback covers and a retail price greater than $20.00.
•  Departments will notify the bookstore during the fifth semester of use if the department will be adopting a new book following the completion of its agreement period.

Efficiency and Sustainability of the Textbook Rental Program

• The number of electronic books purchased vs. number traditional textbooks
• The number of rental books maintained in inventory
• The number of rental books issued to students
• The number of textbooks returned by students at the conclusion of the term
• The increase of rentals made available to all disciplines at the institution
• The percentage of rental textbooks made available to all institutional programs
• Savings to students as compare to new textbooks in percentage and dollars
• The increase in faculty members participating in the program and those faculty members who adopt a long-life textbook that is suitable for the rental program