Delaware Tech bookstores now being run under Follett Corp.
By Garrett Whaley
Students, instructors, and the Delaware Technical Community College Jack F. Owens Campus have experienced some dramatic changes this semester since the college bookstore recently changed to Follett Corporation, a global chain of educational resources.
Delaware Tech Bookstore Manager William Reifsnyder said Follett began leasing the four Delaware Tech campus bookstores in mid-July after a yearlong bookstore workshop amongst all four-business managers.
Reifsnyder was formerly the night manager at the Delaware Tech bookstore for about a year-and-a-half until he became the full-time bookstore manager.
“Follett is a great opportunity for the school, students, and instructors,” Reifsnyder said. “Follett has a lot more resources than Delaware Tech previously had.”
Follett is introducing a pilot program called “Follett Discover,” which allows students and instructors to see online what materials are needed for all their classes before the semester begins, Reifsnyder said.
“I think students will be excited,” Reifsnyder said. “There are a lot of neat things available now.”
Occupational Therapy Assistant major Alex Carreno has attended Delaware Tech for three semesters and has experienced minor complications when buying textbooks from the bookstore this semester rather than previous semesters.
However, the pros outweighed the cons at the bookstore this semester rather than previous semesters, Carreno said.
“Some of the textbooks were out of stock,” Carreno said. “Plus the lines were ridiculously long, but that’s normal.”
But the bookstore is convenient and the textbooks were a lot cheaper this year, Carreno said.
“Ordering textbooks online is cheaper, but waiting for them to be shipped is worse,” Carreno said. “At least I can wait until the first day of school to buy my books if I purchase them from the bookstore, which is always great.”
Communications major Colleen Carter has attended Delaware Tech for three semesters and experienced a few complications when buying books from the bookstore this semester as opposed to last semester.
Carter doesn’t only purchase her textbooks from the school bookstore; she also invests her time searching online retailers that allow for their textbooks to be rented at a fraction of the cost of buying in-store.
“I buy some of my books from Chegg because it’s a lot cheaper to rent them,” Carter said. “I’ll probably buy as much as I can from Chegg and then see what I can’t get from there I can get in the bookstore.”
Follett has now incorporated the availability of digital e-books, rentals, and used books into the bookstore inventory, Reifsnyder said.
“I believe Follett will be more beneficial for our school,” Reifsnyder said.
“There are always going to be challenges before a semester change,” Reifsnyder said. “I think next semester will go a lot smoother.”