Textbook adoption reminder

Dear colleagues,

Registration began for the spring 2025 semester on Nov. 4. I encourage you to complete the adoption of your course materials to ensure they are available for students to acquire in advance. Timely textbook adoption benefits all our students, particularly those on agency scholarships and student-athletes, who are required to obtain their course materials from the on-campus bookstore.

You can use the Follett Discover tool in Blackboard to manage your adoptions and readopt items from past terms. For technical support or questions regarding textbook ordering, please contact bookstore manager John Sublette at 312-413-5500 or j.sublette@follett.com.

Key reasons for early textbook adoption include:

• Increased buyback value: Providing timely course material information enhances buyback value for current students and helps us build a more robust used textbook inventory, which is increasingly difficult in the rapidly declining textbook market.
• Limited physical stock: Publishers are stocking fewer physical materials as more schools shift to digital course materials. This creates a “first come, first served” situation with multiple schools vying for fewer books.
• Improved student experience: Ensuring all materials are available simultaneously reduces the number of trips students need to make to the bookstore, enhancing their overall experience.

Additionally, this recommendation complies with the Higher Education Opportunity Act Textbook Provision.

I also encourage you to consider using open educational resources for your courses and instructional needs where appropriate. You can find more information on the University Library’s Open Educational Resources website.

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,
Karen J. Colley
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

For more information, please contact:
Office of the Provost
provost@uic.edu