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Book Rental Information
Summary of Book Rental 
Textbooks
for courses numbered 100-499 are furnished to on-campus undergraduate
students on a rental basis by the Bookstore Rental Department of the
Bookstore. Students pay a flat fee of $107.00 each semester and are
entitled to the adopted textbook used in each course for which they are
registered. Part-time students pay a pro-rated amount equal to the number
of semester hours for which the student is registered times the
established hourly rate. Part-time undergraduate students who enroll in a
course for which the Book Rental Department declines to provide a text
will receive a refund of the rental fee for that course. No such refund
is available for full-time undergraduates because these students receive
the benefit of the book rental program for a set fee, without regard to
the number of courses taken or books used in a particular term. Book
rental fees are paid with the tuition fees in the Business Office.
Graduate students must purchase all their texts regardless of the
level of the courses. Textbooks for courses numbered 500 and above are
available in the Bookstore's textbook section in the store. For courses
numbered below 500 the books are available for purchase in the Book
Rental Department.
Please note that all textbooks for Distance Learning classes must be
purchased. Textbooks for Distance Learning are not included in the
Book Rental program.
NEW BOOK RENTAL POLICY
EFFECTIVE FALL 2004
Rental books must be returned no later than five working days after
the last day of final exams each term (including Mini-Mester
and Summer School). Unreturned books will be charged to your
student account at replacement cost. Books returned after this
five-day period will be credited to your student account at 1/2 the
charged amount. Grossly mistreated books must be purchased. There
are no exceptions to the above policy.
Textbooks may be returned by mail. Include your full
name and student ID number to:
WCU Bookstore
Attention Book Rental
Western Carolina University
Cullowhee , NC 28723
Frequently Asked Student Book Rental Questions
Q:
What is book rental?
A: Book Rental is a system where textbooks for courses numbered
100-499 are furnished to undergraduate students on a rental basis.
Q: What is the cost of the book rental plan?
A: Students pay a flat fee each semester and are entitled to adopt
textbooks used in each course for which they are registered.
Q: How and where do I pay?
A: The book rental fee is included in tuition and you can pay on
campus or by mail.
Q: Where and how do I pick up books?
A: Book Rental is located in the WCU Bookstore. Student fees must
be paid before books can be picked up. Students receiving financial aid
must complete and return the acceptance form to the University, even if
the balance is zero.
Q: How can I identify my books?
A: You will be assigned a rental book number, which will be
stamped inside each of your rental textbooks. This number will include
the last 4 digits of your social security or student identification
number. Therefore, you are the only one that can receive credit for your
books.
Q: Can I mark inside the book rental text?
A: Yes, however, students will be billed for books grossly
mistreated (ex: dirt, water damage, missing rental number page, missing
pages, etc.)
Q: Can I purchase rental books?
A: Students can purchase books at the replacement price if they
wish, but this does not exempt them from paying the rental fee.
Q: Where and when do I return book rental textbooks?
A: Students must return books to Book Rental. All books must be
returned at the end of each semester. Students who do not return their
books on time will be charged a late fee or replacement cost of the book.
Q: Will I have to buy additional books?
A: Supplemental textbooks may be required, such as lab manuals,
study guides, reference materials, etc. Supplemental textbooks are
available through the Bookstore (average cost $50).
Student Procedures for Picking Up and Returning Book
Rental Books
When
you pick up rental books:
- Make sure you
receive all books you have initialed and signed for.
- Make sure the last
4 numbers of your social security number are printed in each book.
- If your book is
coming apart or if your rental number page is coming off, please
return the book to the Book Rental Department immediately for
replacement.
- Remember you must
replace books that are damaged, such as water, dirt or missing
pages.
- If you drop a
class, please return the textbooks as soon as possible.
- If there is
excessive wear on a textbook have the Book Rental employee note this
on your rental card to avoid charges when the book is returned.
When you return rental books:
- It is your
responsibility to return your rental book on time.
- Make sure each
textbook is marked off your rental card when you return the books.
- When you return
all your books, make sure you are given your rental card to close
your account.
Faculty Policies and Procedures for Book Rental
Policies:
New textbook adoptions will be for a minimum for 2 full calendar
years. The economics of the book rental system depends upon repeated used
of the books in inventory. Therefore, within the 2 calendar year adoption
period, it is expected that the course(s) utilizing the adopted textbook
will be offered at least 2 times. Under this policy, if a new edition is
published it cannot be substituted until the full adoption period has
been fulfilled. If the course cannot be offered twice within the adoption
period due to circumstances beyond the department's control and a new
textbook adoption is deemed necessary, a request for exception may be
submitted to the Bookstore Manager. (See Exceptions for more details.)
Procedures:
- The WCU Bookstore
Manager will send a letter each semester to Deans, Department Heads
and Faculty to explain adoption procedures to solicit rental
textbook orders and to specify response dates, which must be met to
permit order and deliver of books by the beginning of the next
school term.
- Forms may be
obtained from the Book Rental Department, from the Office of the
Dean of each school, or you may download a copy from the forms download page.
- The person
initiating the request for a new adoption must fill in all
information requested, including the most current price available.
Price information may be obtained from BOOKS IN PRINT, available in
the Book Rental Department or Hunter Library. Also, WCU Bookstore
personnel can assist faculty members in obtaining this information
by telephone.
- The completed form
must be signed by the Department Head, or
Dean of the School if the Department Head originated the request.
- Telephone request
for new adoptions will be processed only after the Book Rental
Department receives the completed and approved form.
Rental Textbook Order Information
Memo Regarding Book
Rental Summer Semester 2006 Textbook Order Information
Download Book Rental
Adoption Forms
Online Book
Rental Adoption Form
Faculty Exceptions and Procedures for Exceptions
Exceptions are subject to availability of funds; exceptions are not
made for multiple-section courses. A Bookstore Advisory Committee whose
membership includes faculty, staff and students has established criteria
for exceptions. The Committee will consider request for exception on a
first-come, first-serve basis and in the following order of priority:
- Death of a faculty
member assigned to the course.
- Retirement or
departure of the faculty member assigned to the course.
- A faculty member
new to WCU is assigned to the course.
- A new edition is
adopted of a text whose previous edition is over 5 years old. The
new edition must then be used for any remainder of the old edition's
adoption period plus its own 2-year minimum adoption period.
- The book is
revised annually.
- The textual
content is consumed during its utilization.
- The course is
offered only once during the textbook's 2-year adoption. In such
instances, the text will be offered for sale at the WCU Bookstore.
Procedure to Request an Exception
- The Bookstore
Manager will include in the distribution of textbook adoption information
a deadline for exceptions.
- A completed
"Exception to Book Rental Adoption Policies" form must be
submitted by the deadline date. (Do not include a new Book Rental
Adoption form.)
- Forms may be
obtained from the Book Rental Department or from the departmental
offices.
- The Bookstore
Advisory Committee will consider requests for exceptions on a
first-come, first-serve basis and in an order of priority based on
specified criteria. Exceptions are subject to availability of funds.
- The Bookstore
Manager will notify the department of the final decision.
Faculty Desk Copies Request of Adopted Rental Texts
The primary source for desk copies is the publisher. Textbook
publishers usually will provide desk copies to instructors who complete a
standard desk copy request form and mail it to the publisher. These
request forms are available in the WCU Bookstore. The WCU Bookstore will
supply desk copies to the instructor in the following circumstance:
- If a faculty
member has sent request forms to the publisher and the desk copy has
not been received by the beginning of the term for which the book is
needed.
The WCU Bookstore will issue a desk copy on a "Textbook
Loan" form for an 8-week period at the beginning of the semester.
There will not be a charge for the loaned textbook unless the book is not
returned. If the textbook is not returned, the department will be charged
the textbook replacement cost. If faculty member sends a request form to
a publisher and the publisher refuses to provide a desk copy, the WCU
bookstore will issue a desk copy to the faculty member, and, if
appropriate, will continue efforts to acquire a copy from the publisher.
If it is determined that the publisher will not supply the requested desk
copy, the faculty member may retain the Bookstore's copy on an extended
loan basis.
Frequently
Asked Faculty Book Rental Questions
Q. Can my rental book be replaced?
A. Rental textbooks may be replaced after two years if
the textbook has been used at least twice during that two year period.
Q. How do I know what rental book is being used for my
class?
A. Rental textbooks are only changed upon faculty
request. You may check with the Book Rental Department to obtain textbook
information.
Q. What happens to the old textbook when it has been
replaced in Book Rental?
A. Replaced textbooks are sold to used
book companies if they have value. If the textbook has no value it is
kept on inventory for 1 year and then sold to students at a nominal fee.
A replaced textbook that has no value to a used book company may be
donated to the department upon request from the instructor.
Q. When a newer edition comes out, does it automatically
replace the old edition in Rental?
A. No. Textbooks can only be replaced by request from a
faculty member. This is done on a New Adoption Request Form.
Q. If my rental textbook comes with a CD or booklet will
this be issued with the book?
A. No. Only the textbook can be issued from Book Rental.
The instructor will be notified if CD’s or other products come with the
text. If the instructor would like to have these products, they will be
sent to his/her department. These may be distributed by the instructor(s)
or may be put on reserve in the library. These items become the property
of the department and should not be returned to Book Rental at the end of
the semester.
Q. Are new adoption textbooks automatically ordered from
the publisher?
A. New adoption textbooks are not automatically ordered
from the publisher. Orders are first placed to wholesale book companies.
All books are ordered by ISBN, so the textbook will be the same as
requested on the adoption. Orders are placed in this manner for budgetary
considerations.
Q. How many times has the current textbook been used?
A. This information may be obtained from the Book Rental
Department.
Q. How do I get a desk copy?
A. Desk copies are obtained from the publisher.
Q. Can I borrow a Rental textbook?
A. Faculty loans may be used for the first eight weeks
of the semester while you are waiting for your desk copy to arrive. Loans
that are not returned at this time will be charged the book rental fee
per semester hour for the course. Loaned books not returned by the end of
the semester will be charged for the replacement cost of the book (less
the already charged rental fee). All charges are made to the department
budget code on an interdepartmental invoice.
Q. What is the difference in a purchase book and a
Rental book?
A. There is only one rental book per course number and
this book may not be a consumable product. All classes under that course
number will be issued the same text. Purchase textbooks are adopted by
section and may have several texts adopted.
Q. Can topics courses put a text in Book Rental?
A. Since topics courses are usually only taught one
semester, it is not recommended that they be put in Book Rental.
Q. Why do graduate students not get Rental books?
A. Graduate students do not pay a rental fee and are not
included in the Book Rental Program.
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