Textbook Information at JALC

Countdown until the FALL Opt-Out Window Opens

  

John A Logan College has partnered with Barnes and Noble College (BNC) and their First Day Complete (FDC) program to provide affordable course materials to JALC students and to ensure required materials are available prior to the start of each semester which also ensures every student on campus has the necessary tools for success in the classroom.

Students Opt-Out or Opt-Back-In
to the First Day Complete Program Here

The First Day Complete Program and How It Works

The First Day Complete (FDC) program is a semester-based rental program for students to acquire textbooks and course materials needed to be successful in their classes. The program ensures these required materials, whether digital or physical textbooks, are available to students enrolled in the program before the first day of class. Students will be automatically enrolled in the First Day Complete program when they register for classes. Physical books are conveniently packaged and shipped to students to an address of their choosing and digital material is accessed directly through the student’s D2L account; all at a low cost per credit hour each semester. D2L is the College’s official online learning platform.

The only action the student will need to do to receive all of their course materials by the first day of class is select their preferred delivery location. They may choose to ship to a home address or ship-to-campus. Ship-to-campus deliveries will be available for pickup on campus at The General Store, located adjacent to the cafeteria in C-Building, Room C110. At the end of each semester, students will receive email reminders to their Volmail email address with instructions to return rented physical textbooks.

Digital Materials – eBooks and Courseware

eBooks, or electronic books, are digital versions of printed books or other publications that are designed to be read on electronic devices like computers, smartphones, tablets, or other e-reader technology. Many eBooks may be downloaded to be read offline.

  • eBooks will be accessible from the student’s D2L account.

Courseware is web-based interactive educational software, usually provided by a publisher, and may include an eBook, video, audio, homework, quizzes, labs and other interactive tools. Courseware is typically accessed from a computer, usually requiring an access code or login credentials.

  • Courseware, especially those with access codes, may be accessed from the student’s D2L account and/or may have alternative directions depending on the publisher and how they provide access to the materials.

At the end of the semester, all digital materials and access to courseware will automatically be removed from the student’s D2L account.

Physical Materials – Printed Books and other materials

Physical textbooks required for classes will ship to the address selected by the student as their preferred delivery location.

  • The preferred delivery location may be:
    – Ship to Home – A home address where the student will receive shipments.
    – Ship to Campus – the JALC address. Shipments may be picked up from The General Store located adjacent to the cafeteria in C-Building, Room 110.
  • Shipping to the student’s preferred delivery location is FREE for those who stay enrolled in the First Day Complete program.

At the end of the semester, all physical materials will need to be returned to BNC Bookstore. Instructions and prepaid shipping labels will be provided by BNC directly to the student’s Volmail email address.

Opting Out

Any student may choose to opt out of the First Day Complete Program.

Why would a student opt out of the First Day Complete Program?

Things to note when a student opts out of the First Day Complete program:

  • – Students are responsible for shipping costs when purchased outside of the First Day Complete program and should be considered when making the decision to opt-out or remain opted in to the program.
  • – Once a student opts out, they may opt back in to the First Day Complete program at any time during the Opt-Out Window.
  • – A student may opt out and back into the First Day Complete program as many times as desired until the Opt-Out deadline when the window closes.
  • – To opt out or back in, the student may use the button at the top of this page or CLICK HERE.

Highlight Comparison Chart

Barnes and Noble
First Day Complete Program
(Opt-In Students)		Barnes and Noble
Traditional Textbook Purchases
(Opt-Out Students)
Costs$25 per registered credit hour.

$0 Shipping Costs		Market price per each book or other course material purchased.

Students are responsible for shipping costs.
PaymentNo Payment required until the fees post to the student’s bursar account.

Due dates will be identified for payment.		Payment is required at the time of purchase through the Barnes and Noble Online Bookstore.
Financial AidEligible financial aid is automatically applied to the student bursar account once available from the financial aid source (PELL, etc.)Financial aid is not available at the time of purchase.
Physical Books Shipped7-10 days before classes start.1-2 days after order is placed.
Digital Books AvailableDay 1 of classes or sooner.1-2 days after order is processed and fulfilled by publisher.
Student Tasks Required1) Verify order by providing a preferred delivery location/address when prompted by BNC email correspondence.

2) Return physical books received by the end of the semester or as required in the event of a dropped course.
1) Opt-out of the FDC program.

2) Select desired textbooks and materials from the online bookstore.

3) Place orders through the JALC Online Bookstore for all books necessary for all courses.

Frequently Asked Questions – for Students

The first step is to decide if the First Day Complete Program is for you.

  • Compare the total costs per credit hour for all registered credit hours to the cost of purchasing all of the required course materials needed individually.
  • You will need to know how many total credit hours for which you are registered to calculate the expected FDC cost for the semester.

It costs a flat $25 per registered credit hour to rent all required textbooks as selected by your instructor(s), regardless of the format.

  • Ex: If you are registered for 3 credit hours, your total bookstore fee will be $75 for the semester.
  • Ex: If you are registered for 12 credit hours, your total bookstore fee will be $300 for the semester.

The program does not include consumable course supplies that cannot be returned and reused such as lab goggles, art kits, cosmetology kits or other science kits. Those kits and materials will be available through The General Store on campus.

All eligible students will be automatically enrolled in the First Day Complete program.

Yes. Students have the option to opt-out of the First Day Complete program each semester during the opt-out window.

To opt-out, click the Opt-Out button at the top of this page or use this link: https://sso.bncollege.com/bes-sp/bessso/saml/jalcedu/fdcopt/logon.

By opting out, students will need to order their books through the online bookstore website using the link provided on the opt-out webpage.

Yes. To change your participation selection, go to: https://sso.bncollege.com/bes-sp/bessso/saml/jalcedu/fdcopt/logon

To change your participation selection, go to: https://sso.bncollege.com/bes-sp/bessso/saml/jalcedu/fdcopt/logon

To view required course materials and compare prices, the student can opt out of the FDC Program using the Opt-Out button at the top of this page. https://sso.bncollege.com/bes-sp/bessso/saml/jalcedu/fdcopt/logon

Once opted out, you will be able to access the link to the online bookstore to look up the cost of required course materials and make purchases.

Opt back in: The student may use the same link to opt back in should they decide the program is a better, more convenient option.

There will be two Opt-Out windows:

  1. The first Opt-out/Opt-in link will go live approximately 30 days prior to the semester start date and remain open through the designated drop date.
  2. The second Opt-out/Opt-in link will go live for those taking ONLY late-start courses that begin on or after the 2nd 8-week course start date.

    * NOTE: Students taking both 16-week courses AND late start 8-week or late start 4-week courses must follow the first Opt-out deadline and selection for the entire semester. One student may not opt in for one class and opt out for another. The first selection made covers the entire semester.

Yes. If you do not opt out of the program, you will be charged $25 per credit hour for bookstore fees for all registered credit hours.

All ship-to-campus deliveries will be available at The General Store for pickup, typically, the week prior to classes starting each semester.

Yes, you will have 48 hours to return your textbooks from the date you changed your opt-out/opt-in selection.

If you never return the textbooks, the charges for the FDC program will remain on your student bursar account and you may be subject to a replacement and non-return processing fee.

Yes, if the student does not opt out, or drop the course, physical materials will be held at The General Store until picked up by the student, digital materials will be accessible through D2L, and the student account will be charged.

  • If the student opts out of the program after books have shipped to campus, those shipments must be picked up by the student and returned to BNC per their return instructions sent via email.
  • Note: If the preferred delivery location is on campus at The General Store, those shipments must be picked up and returned to BNC accordingly. The General Store staff can assist students needing help in the on-campus store.

If course materials have been shipped for the dropped class, those materials should be returned to the bookstore within 48 hours. If you drop a class and enroll in a different class, the new book will be provided.

If you enroll in a different section of the same course, physical book(s) will ship again so the original book(s) received order should be returned using the prepaid shipping label sent via email as soon as the replacement is received.

If you remain opted in to the FDC program, yes, all physical books must be returned to the bookstore. Digital eBooks and Courseware will expire and automatically be removed from the student’s D2L account.

If you opt out of the FDC program and purchase physical textbooks, they are yours to keep. All digital eBooks and Courseware will expire according to the duration purchased and will automatically be removed from the student’s D2L account at that time.

Yes, the program provides an option to purchase any rented textbooks at a reduced rate during the semester.

Students will receive email notifications from the bookstore reminding them to verify their order and choose their fulfillment preference. If the student does not opt-out, their materials will be held, and their student account will still be charged.

The deadline to return all rented textbooks is the last day of final exams for the semester. Students will receive email reminders ahead of the rental return deadline and instructions.

Shipments may be dropped off at The General Store with prepaid shipping label(s). It is the student’s responsibility to provide a box for the shipment.

Yes, you will still be required to return textbooks used in future courses. You will be issued the same title for the next semester when you register for the course and remain opted in for that next term.

Dates to Remember for the First Day Complete Program

DateActivity
7/13/2026First student email from BNC
7/18/20261st Fall Opt-Out Window Opens
8/2/2026Deadline for Opt-In Order Preferences for First Shipment
8/5/2026-8/10/2026Initial orders released for shipments
8/12/2026First shipment available for pickup at The General Store
8/17/2026First day of Fall Classes
9/15/20261st Fall Opt-Out Window Closes
9/25/20262nd Fall Opt-Out Window Opens for students taking ONLY late-start courses.
11/5/20262nd Fall Opt-Out Window Closes
12/14/2026-12/18/2026All Physical Rental Returns Due