NOVA Bookstore Contract and Textbook Publishers

This is a reminder that direct course material purchases from the publisher, or providing a purchase link in your syllabus or in Canvas to a publisher’s website is in violation of our bookstore services contract with Barnes & Noble. This is a problem when publishers attempt to contact faculty and staff directly to “guarantee savings” or “guarantee the lowest price” on course materials purchased directly from them. Based on their negotiation with publishers, our College bookstores carry the same low-cost, digital, e-book options as required for any course.

Please do not send publisher links to students that promote these “special offer” solicitations from the publisher.

Note that direct-from-publisher materials cannot be purchased with financial aid dollars and are typically non-returnable to the publishers, which then causes confusion for students who attempt to return publisher-purchased materials to the bookstore.

NOVA is contractually partnered with Barnes & Noble as our textbook and course material provider. In accordance with this contract, Barnes & Noble operates all campus bookstores and is the exclusive provider of all textbooks and course materials–print, digital and any materials directly linked through Canvas. Additionally, Barnes & Noble is the only retailer able to accept financial aid transactions.

If you have any concerns or questions, including regarding the pricing of course materials, please reach out to Rob Johnson, director of sustainability and auxiliary services, at ROJohnson@nvcc.edu, or your campus bookstore for assistance. Click here for bookstore contact info by campus.

Submitted by:
Rob Johnson, FAS-Director of Auxiliary Services & Sustainability, ROJohnson@nvcc.edu