Day One Access
At Western Piedmont Community College, students don’t need to make separate purchases for textbooks—it’s all included!
Created in partnership with Akademos, Inc., and powered by VitalSource, WPCC’s Day One Access course material program is an innovative, personalized, and affordable solution for students. At the start of each qualifying term, all students will receive all the physical and digital course materials they need in order to succeed.
How It Works:
Faculty select the course materials they want to use and submit it through the online bookstore website. Akademos then sources the materials in physical and digital formats.
Students are automatically enrolled in the program with the option to opt out. Once registered for the upcoming term, materials are compiled with physical textbooks mailed to campus while digital course material access information is emailed.
You can then pick up and access materials on the first day of class without having to place individual orders or pay out of pocket.
The cost is included in tuition and calculated on a flat fee per student per credit hour, regardless of how much each individual textbook costs.
If you want to opt out of the program, you can do so through the website. Opt out due dates will be posted and communicated each term.
Program Benefits
- High-quality, low-cost course materials for all of your registered classes
- One flat fee for books regardless of course, major, or material format
- No out-of-pocket textbook costs
- Delivery of all materials prior to the first day of class
- A personalized website showing courses and when, where, and how course materials will be delivered
- An integrated system where digital materials are easily referenced through the bookstore’s eLibrary and move with you as courses are added and dropped
- Year-round student support with 24/7 availability during the back-to-school season
- Branded apparel & gifts including clothing, hats, and more
What actions do students need to take?
Not much at all!
1. Check out your course list at wpcc.vitalsource.com to see what materials you’ll receive (Note the opt out dates if needed)
2. Pick up any physical texts at the Bookstore
3. Check your email for digital access information
Contact wpcc.vitalsource.com/help if you have any questions.
You do not need to take any actions to ensure that your materials are delivered. The bookstore will know what materials you need and deliver physical items to campus while digital course material access information will be emailed as well as listed in your bookstore eLibrary account for future reference.
Required Steps
- Pick up physical items: If items were delivered to campus, pick up physical texts at the Bookstore. Email and text reminders will also be sent.
- Access digital materials: You will be emailed access information for your digital materials. Depending on the item, you may access the materials through your LMS, through a publisher’s website, or through VitalSource.
Recommended Steps
- Log into the website before every major term to see what materials you will receive. This is especially important so that you know which of your items are physical and which are digital.
Student FAQ’s
What is Day One Access/Equitable Access?
WPCC’s course material program Day One Access is administered through the WPCC Online Bookstore and provides all students with all of their required course materials on the first day of class at one affordable price. WPCC’s course material program Day One Access is a fee charged at one affordable price, which is a flat rate per credit hour.
Where can I find one list with everything I need for the term?
Visit the website at wpcc.vitalsource.com and log into the website with your WPCC account. Your “Student Homepage” will appear which will list all of the courses that you are registered for plus all of the materials that you will receive.
Is this a campus-wide program?
Yes, all students at WPCC are included in this program.
Does this cover all terms?
Yes, all Fall, Spring, Summer term courses are included in the program.
Can I choose not to participate and order books from someplace else?
Yes. You can choose to opt out if you like, though we strongly encourage everyone to take advantage of this program because it offers discounted course materials with the advantage of being ready for your classes on the first day. To opt out, visit the bookstore website and log in with your school account, then click “My Courses” at the top of the page. This page will list the opt-out date. Please note, you will be responsible for obtaining your own course materials and must return any materials that have already been sent to you.
Can I change my mind to opt out?
Yes, you have until the given opt-out date (usually 3 days after the term begins) to decide whether to participate.
Can I buy other things on the bookstore website?
Yes! The bookstore sells branded merchandise like apparel and gifts as well as course supplies and other items. Visit it at bookstore.wpcc.edu. You can browse and order other items like you would on any other online retail store.
Do I need to return physical books at the end of the term?
No, you will own the textbooks at the end of the term. For digital course materials, you may have time limits on how long you can access them. You can review expiration dates in your bookstore eLibrary account.
Where do I pick up my physical books?
At the Bookstore. You can change the delivery address if you like through the website.
What happens if I don't pick up my books?
The school will send out several notifications reminding you to pick up your books. If you do not pick them up, you will still be charged for the materials. Abandoned items will become property of the school.
How do I access my digital course materials?
All digital course material access information will be emailed to you on or before the first day of class. Depending on the item, materials will be available through your LMS account, a publisher website, or through VitalSource. If you ever need a reminder about what digital course materials you should have access to, visit your eLibrary in your bookstore account to see a master list.
How much does this cost?
The cost is included in tuition and calculated on a flat fee of $28 per student per credit hour, regardless of how much each individual textbook costs.
How is payment processed?
Charges are included with tuition. Day One Access is a fee, listed separately on your student account. We offer an interest-free payment plan. Find more information on the tuition payment plan page.
What happens if I drop a class?
Refunds will be processed in accordance with existing deadlines and procedures through the school’s registrar’s office.
Who do I contact if I have additional questions about my course materials?
Contact the bookstore at wpcc.vitalsource.com/help
It's the first day of class and my textbooks aren't available for pickup or I don't see the digital materials in my bookstore eLibrary account.
If you’ve recently added a course, then the order might still be on its way. Visit the website to review your personalized Student Homepage, which will show you when items arrived or if they are still on their way. You can also contact the bookstore for a status update or to review your account in case there is a discrepancy.
What happens if I am missing a textbook or received the wrong one?
Contact the bookstore through the website and they will assist you. Make sure to include your email, course name, course section, and the isbn of the missing item.
Faculty FAQ’s
What is Day One Access and what is Equitable Access?
Day One Access, also known in the industry as “Equitable Access” is a course material delivery program where all of a student’s required course materials are provided to them automatically on the first day of class. This ensures that every student is given the same access to ALL of the materials they need to succeed in class. The cost of the materials is administered through the school and the school pays Akademos an annual fee for their services and software.
What are the benefits of this program?
Every student receives their course materials – physical and/or digital – by the first day of class at an affordable price.
When students are provided with their materials on time and at an affordable cost, they can engage with them early and often and experience better learning outcomes resulting in successful program completion and graduation.
When working with Akademos, faculty and administrators decide what is best for students and have complete control over every adoption and delivery type. Because the model carries a software and logistics fee and no margins on the materials themselves, the school has complete control over the costs of the program. There is an adoption cost insight report, which can become the cornerstone of your school’s course materials adoption strategy. From there, administrators can analyze adoption patterns at the course, instructor, department, or campus level.
Who is participating in this program?
All students are included in this program.
Can students opt out?
Yes. Students can choose to opt out if they like, though we strongly encourage everyone to take advantage of this program because it offers discounted course materials with the advantage of students being ready for their classes on the first day.
How much does this cost?
All students pay a low flat-fee per semester or credit hour that covers all required course materials, regardless of how much each individual textbook costs. Akademos sells all materials to the institution at cost and charges a service fee, allowing us to recommend the adoption of lower cost subscriptions and OER materials that can help lower the cost to students. The cost is included in tuition.
How do I adopt course materials?
Visit the website at wpcc.vitalsource.com and log in with your school account. Once logged in you will see all of the courses that you are assigned to teach or oversee. Use the search tool to type in an ISBN or title and then follow the steps to add details and submit it to Akademos. You can also message your Akademos Client Success Manager through the website if you have special textbook settings or requests.
What kinds of materials can I adopt to my course?
Faculty have academic freedom and can select the materials they feel are best for their class, including traditional textbooks, OER materials, or other non-textbook items. Digital materials are often encouraged because they are more affordable and students receive access immediately, which can be helpful if they add or drop courses. Akademos’ website and Client Success Managers provide the tools, analysis, and information so that faculty and administrators have a clear picture of textbook costs for transparency and can review opportunities to lower costs term over term.
When are course materials adoptions due?
Adoptions are due 90 days before the start of each term. In order for Akademos to deliver all print and digital materials to students on the first day of class, we need the support and participation of faculty and administrators to submit adoptions on time. Once submitted, Akademos reviews them to ensure that a) availability is established, b) the lowest cost formats are sourced, and c) any recommendations are made available to the adopter. If we anticipate availability issues, we may reach out and recommend similar titles, alternative formats (ebook vs bundle or physical request), or suggest alternative materials such as OER which covers the same content with lower price points.
I want my students to have physical course materials. Can I indicate that?
Yes, instructors who wish to utilize a physical option for their course materials even if lower-cost, digital items are available, may indicate this choice when making their adoption section. Once approved by an administrator, Akademos will conform to this choice and deliver the item in physical formats.
I have created my own course materials in the past. How should I proceed?
If you have created materials that include selections of traditional texts, library resources, powerpoint slides, etc., you can submit those through the website and it will be provided as a coursepack.
My class doesn’t use textbooks/I use OER materials. Do students still have to pay?
Yes, this program includes all courses in a term and is not offered on a course-by-course basis. Please make sure to indicate that your materials are OER or other in the website so bookstore staff can provide a full course list to students.
If I want to change the text I adopted, what should I do?
We encourage faculty members to submit their adoptions early and to avoid making last-minute changes due to the nature of the program. If you have an unavoidable change, please contact your Client Success Manager as soon as possible.
How do students access digital materials through this program?
All digital course material access information will be emailed to students on or before the first day of class. Depending on the item, materials will be available through a student’s LMS account, a publisher website, or through VitalSource.
How do students receive their physical materials?
Students can pick up their physical items at the Bookstore.
How do students purchase course materials if they choose to opt out of the program?
Students will be responsible for obtaining their course materials on their own if they decide not to participate in the program. They will have the option to order some or all of their course materials through the website with standard payment options (credit card, debit card, ApplePay, GooglePay, PayPal). Please note that WPCC will not have course materials for sale on campus.
Where should I send my students if they need help?
wpcc.vitalsource.com/help. Through that page students can use the dynamic help tool to answer their questions or they can call or email the bookstore.
Who do I contact if I am having trouble with the program?
Please contact your Client Success Manager through the bookstore’s website.
Where do I go if I’m having trouble setting up publisher courseware (Cengage, Pearson, McGraw Hill, etc.)
Contact your publisher representative or visit their faculty help pages. Your Client Success Manager may be able to help in some cases, but going to the publisher first is recommended.