West Virginia Northern Community College (WVNCC) announced today a new partnership with a Virtual Campus Bookstore, Akademos. WVNCC has selected Akademos to run their full-service online store for course materials and branded merchandise and apparel. WVNCC’s new online bookstore is now live and students can order books for the spring semester, however, the online store for apparel and other logoed items will launch in early December.
With the new partnership comes the closure of the Barnes & Noble bookstore on all three of WVNCC’s campuses. The largest location was in Wheeling, on the corner of Market and 16th Street. It has not been determined yet what will occupy the first floor of the building. The second floor is the college’s Student Union. The café portion of the Barnes & Noble will close November 25, but the store will remain available to Northern students after that date.
By leveraging Akademos’ all-in-one course materials platform, the WVNCC branded store will focus on accessibility and affordability, allowing students to order a wide selection of course materials, including new and used books, rentals, eBooks, and interactive digital courseware. The shopping experience will be fully personalized for each student to provide a seamless experience and offer free shipping and guaranteed buyback options. The online bookstore also gives students access to all of their digital course content in one convenient eLibrary.
“Partnering with Akademos allows us to expand the offerings and capabilities of our bookstore and to increase convenience and cost savings,” said WVNCC President Dr. Daniel Mosser. “This decision contributes to our overall mission to educate and empower our students with all of the tools they need to succeed including access to a wider selection of affordable course materials and WVNCC apparel and merchandise.”
The enhanced merchandise experience in the platform supports current trends, future needs, and brings a unique value to students, parents, and alumni. From accessories, giftware, and supplies to required program uniforms, other apparel, and graduation regalia, the greater WVNCC community will have access to popular branded merchandise no matter their location.
In addition to the growing eCommerce capabilities, faculty will have access to a customized adoptions portal, enabling them to research, compare, and adopt course materials simply and efficiently. Also included is easy-to-use course pack creation software that will further support the use of low-cost materials. The platform features administrator dashboards displaying real-time data on the adoptions process, bookstore utilization, and sales. These promote on-time adoptions with advanced communication and reporting tools, ultimately boosting preparedness and student success.
“We are pleased about working with WVNCC to continue to build a thriving online bookstore,” said Akademos CEO Raj Kaji. “Our technology and comprehensive platform will drive student engagement with everything they need for an exceptional college experience. This will ensure each student can be prepared on day one with both affordable course materials as well as merchandise to show off their school pride.
With the new partnership comes the closure of the Barnes & Noble bookstore on all three of WVNCC’s campuses. The largest location was in Wheeling, on the corner of Market and 16th Street. It has not been determined yet what will occupy the first floor of the building. The second floor is the college’s Student Union. The café portion of the Barnes & Noble will close November 25, but the store will remain available to Northern students after that date.
West Virginia Northern Community College is a two-year comprehensive community college accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Founded in 1972, WVNCC offers transfer degrees and programs in the Liberal Arts, Career-Technical programs, and Community and Continuing Education on three campuses in New Martinsville, Weirton and Wheeling. For more information visit wvncc.edu
Akademos provides higher education institutions with a full-service online platform to manage course materials, from monitoring adoptions and compliance to purchasing textbooks to measuring utilization. More than just an online bookstore, we give school administrators a single platform to streamline course adoptions and meet compliance regulations. For students, the platform simplifies the purchasing and access of materials through a personalized portal that connects with school SIS, LMS, and payment systems. Akademos gives colleges and universities a more transparent, convenient, and cost-effective solution to manage how course materials are used and measured, helping to improve textbook affordability and student success. Learn more at www.akademos.com