Before class schedules have settled, the first few weeks of the semester can be hectic as students scramble to obtain all the textbooks they need at a reasonable price. This year, Emporia State University launched the Hornet Textbook Bundle to get students their textbooks quickly and affordably. 

“Previously, the majority of students were picking and choosing and not getting everything they needed based on the fact that they were costed out,” said Michael McRell, manager at the ESU Bookstore.

According to the Barnes and Noble College website, the bundle is part of Barnes and Noble’s First Day Complete® program, which partners with 115 campuses across the country to deliver similar bundles. The Hornet Textbook Bundle offers students a one-month window at the beginning of each semester to look at their required books and receive them at a flat rate of $21.50 per credit hour directly through the university. If students determine that the bundle is not saving them money, they must opt out before the timed window elapses to not be charged; this semester, that date was Sept. 1. 

However, the exact amount of savings students can expect is unclear, both for the program at ESU and Barnes and Noble’s programs nationally. Barnes and Noble reports that students can expect 35 to 50 percent savings on their books, but this number has no sourced attribution from the company’s overview of the program.

The Bulletin asked McRell if data about the program will be released to the public.

“We will be giving the numbers to the leadership, and I imagine they would (release them),” McRell said.

Students should expect another round of emails before the spring semester for next semester’s book bundle.

“I hope that (the bundle) makes your research easier” said Carmen Leeds, Director of the Memorial Union and committee chair of the bundle’s launch team. “It is an extra step, you are getting emails to say do this, but hopefully it saves you time on the other end.”