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Hampden-Sydney College announced Wednesday, Oct. 13, that it has selected Barnes & Noble College (BNC) to manage all course materials, retail and online operations for its Hampden-Sydney College Store, effective Nov. 1. BNC will offer a suite of innovative programs and services to support academic success for students and faculty, in addition to delivering an expanded merchandise assortment and an engaging retail experience.

“Barnes & Noble is a proven partner of many small liberal arts colleges, and we are thrilled about this opportunity,” said Ken Copeland, vice president for business affairs and finance at Hampden-Sydney. “In addition to continuing our tradition of a friendly retail atmosphere, this partnership will enable us to offer expanded store hours and an enhanced web presence that will improve the online shopping experience for our community and friends.”

The Hampden-Sydney College Store will ensure students and faculty are supported with everything needed to succeed, including the industry’s largest inventory of affordable physical and digital course materials.

Beginning Fall 2022, Hampden-Sydney College will offer BNC First Day® Complete, a course material delivery model that will provide all Hampden-Sydney College students with their course materials for the term. First Day® Complete will drive affordability, access and incredible convenience for students, bundling the costs of materials with students’ tuition. The program results in a 40% to 50% reduction in cost to students, and ensures they have all required course materials for the semester available to them before the first day of class.

After students have registered for their courses, they will receive an email from the Hampden-Sydney College Store prompting them to select their preferred delivery method. The store will prepare the materials for each student and notify them when materials have shipped or are available for in-store pickup. Digital materials will be delivered directly through the learning management system.

In addition, as a Bookstore-operated program, First Day® Complete provides all the benefits of a complete access model, without limiting faculty choice. Faculty members can choose the materials that are best suited for their teaching, regardless of publisher or format.

Faculty will also gain access to the market-leading BNC Adoption & Insights Portal (AIP), which allows them to easily research and submit affordable course material selections, further driving choice and student success. AIP will also provide Hampden-Sydney academic leadership with the ability to view real-time adoption rates and submission progress at the school or departmental level and communicate directly with faculty from within the portal.

“We are very excited to partner with Hampden-Sydney College as its new bookstore operator,” said Jonathan Shar, executive vice president of BNED Retail, president of Barnes & Noble College. “We look forward to offering a wide range of academic solutions and a seamless retail experience that will help to drive success for Hampden-Sydney students. And through First Day® Complete, we can provide students with their materials at even lower prices, available to them before the first day of class.”

The Hampden-Sydney College Store will also offer an expanded assortment of Tigers apparel, gifts, school supplies and more. And through its strategic alliance with Fanatics and Lids, BNC will deliver an unparalleled, best-in-class assortment of school apparel and an exceptional retail experience to the school community. Merchandise will be available both in store and online through the website or mobile app, delivered with a dynamic and personalized experience.