BRTC Partners with Akademos to Improve Textbook Affordability for Students

The Akademos online bookstore and marketplace will offer BRTC students significant savings on course materials while enabling faculty to easily evaluate and adopt low-cost course material options.

Norwalk, CT — May 16, 2017 — Black River Technical College (BRTC) has partnered with Akademos to launch an online bookstore that will offer students substantial savings on course materials and enable faculty to evaluate and adopt low-cost course material options. Located in Pocahontas, Arkansas, BRTC is a public, two-year college committed to transforming lives and impacting the surrounding community through quality academic and career education.

At BRTC, students can earn degrees and certificates in nine different fields including Health Professions and Related Programs, Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, and Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services. Its Licensed Practical Nurse program was named the best of 27 LPN programs in Arkansas. BRTC also offers a 100% online A.A. in General Studies that can be transferred to a four-year college.

Starting June of 2017, BRTC students can use a custom-branded version of the mobile-optimized Akademos online bookstore to shop for textbooks in a wide range of formats – including new, used, rental, marketplace and digital – from any device, anywhere, at any time – and seamlessly use their financial aid allocation as a payment option during the checkout process. Students can also sell their books through the marketplace once the term is over and set their own price to help ensure they are getting the best return during the buyback process.

“We wanted to make a difference in our students’ lives and understood that reducing textbook costs is one way to drive student preparedness and success. Akademos has a proven track record of offering students real savings on course materials and helping faculty make more cost-conscious choices during the adoption process,” said BRTC President Dr. Eric Turner.

In 2016, Akademos saved students purchasing textbooks and course materials over $13 million, with students saving an average of 60% off publisher list price when they used Akademos’ exclusive marketplace of over 18 million unique titles.

“We’ve had a profound impact on reducing students’ costs by providing them with more affordable purchase options – including our unique educational marketplace,” said Akademos CEO John Squires. “In addition, our advanced faculty software and services dramatically improve the speed and accuracy of course material adoptions to further reduce course material costs for students.”

The Akademos Adoption & Analytics Portal provides faculty with complete visibility into the real-time prices of course materials in multiple formats during the adoption process enabling them to select the most affordable, high-quality textbook options for students. In addition, the Portal enhances textbook adoption efficiency by enabling administrators to track the progress of course material adoptions across individual departments and the entire college.

Faculty can also utilize Akademos Curriculum Services™ (ACS) to further reduce textbook costs. ACS provides faculty with personal consultations on new learning models and course material choices that support faculty and student success by improving access to alternative, low-cost options. Custom CoursePacks is just one way that can be accomplished.

BRTC’s current on-campus bookstore will transition into a general merchandise and supply store that will serve the growing needs of the BRTC community.

Learn more about how Akademos can help your institution significantly improve textbook affordability for students.

For press inquiries, please contact Ariane Rasmussen at 203-866-0190, ext. 15.

About Akademos

Akademos offers customized, online bookstore services and solutions that support what\’s most important to institutions — from full-service virtual bookstores to unique partnerships and products supporting on-campus shops. Akademos delivers cost savings on course materials for students while providing administrators and faculty with critical control over the textbook delivery process.

Akademos offers an innovative textbook marketplace, best-in-class eCommerce platform, eLearning solutions, and a unique adoption and analytics portal. The company’s comprehensive supply-chain solution and commitment to responsive personal service makes it the choice of leading institutions throughout the country.

Akademos helps institutions deliver the right course materials, at affordable prices, on time. Learn more at akademos.com.