Faculty Information: Bookstore Transition

What's New At the Bookstore?

The Foothill-De Anza Community College District has entered into a partnership with Follett Higher Education Group to manage and operate the Bookstores at both De Anza and Foothill colleges, effective since Oct. 21, 2021.

New Adoptions Process Now In Effect

Faculty members should now be using the new textbook adoption process to order books, starting with orders for winter quarter 2022.

Orders should be submitted by using the new Follett Discover adoption tool that's available in the Faculty Apps section of MyPortal.

See below for more information about the transition and some answers to frequently asked questions.

You can watch a Zoom recording of the Nov. 3, 2021, training session held for De Anza and Foothill faculty members, as well as a special training video prepared by Follett .

The Follett partnership is aligned with De Anza's continued drive to lower the costs of textbooks and course materials for our students – including the college's longstanding efforts to promote Open Educational Resources and other zero-cost or low-cost digital, rental and used course material options.

About the New Bookstore Operator

Follett Higher Education Group has been in the higher education sector for more than 140 years. They operate more than 1,100 college and university bookstores across the United States and Canada, including more than 100 in California. They bring the advantages of an extensive supply chain, economies of scale, new technology and many years of experience serving California community colleges.

Follett is also focused on student affordability, offering the nation’s largest textbook rental program, an extensive selection of used, digital, new and OER materials, and a price-matching program.

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions 

Here are some answers to important questions about the transition. We will update this webpage with more questions and answers as the process continues.

• Additional information for students can be found on the Bookstore FAQs for Students webpage.

NEW FAQs About the Adoptions Process

• Scroll down further for answers to general FAQs about the new Bookstore operation

• Can I log into Follett Discover outside of MyPortal?

  Follett Discover is only available through MyPortal to avoid the need for separate login credentials.

• How does Follett Discover know what courses I’m teaching?

  Your assigned courses are read directly from the school’s student information system to reflect the most up to date schedule information. If you notice an incorrect course title, please message the store team by emailing deanza@bkstr.com and we will partner with the necessary campus partners.

• What if I cannot find the course material I’m looking for?

  Follett Discover’s database of titles is the most comprehensive in the industry. If you don’t see the title that you would like to adopt, try manually entering the 13-digit ISBN. If the item still doesn’t show up, you can add the title through the Add Title form found within your course or contact your campus store directly through the Message Center or by emailing deanza@bkstr.com  

• What happens to my adoption after I submit it?

  Your adoption request is sent to the campus store, and once it has been reviewed and accepted, you will see the status flag updated to “APPROVED.” The campus store will contact you directly with any questions.

• What is OER content? How do I mark a material as OER?

  OER or Open Educational Resources are shared and openly licensed documents and media for teaching, learning, and other educational purposes. Often these materials are available at no cost to the learner. You can search for OER materials by clicking the Discover button within the course. If the material is not already listed, you can add content.

• How do I tell the store that I will not be requiring materials?

  Upon accessing your course list in Follett Discover, you will have the ability to mark a course as no titles/complete or indicate that only OER material is being used. Students will also see this information through MyPortal or on the store website.

• What if I have a course pack or an art kit?

  Please send a message through Follett Discover or reach the store team directly to verify we have the necessary information to place an order for your needs.

• Can I leave a message for my students?

  Yes! Once the course is selected in Follett Discover, please see the Student Instructions section towards the bottom of the page.

General FAQs

• When did the new partnership begin?

  The partnership officially began on Oct. 21, 2021. Due to the uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Follett will begin by operating an online store to support the remaining fall quarter term needs of students and the college. It will reopen the physical Bookstore location when more students return to campus.

  • After Oct. 21, 2021, all adoption orders should be submitted and fulfilled through Follett. See the answer below for: "How do I order a book for my classes?"

• Will there be a new Bookstore website? 

  Yes, the new online Bookstore launched on Oct. 21, 2021. It has its own unique web address – deanzastore.com – and it will be linked from deanza.edu/bookstore.

  • Students will be able to search for course materials on the new online site, using their CWID or by their class section. 
  • The online store will also sell supplies and other college merchandise.

• Will there still be a "physical" Bookstore on campus?

  Yes. Due to the uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Follett will begin by operating an online store to support the remaining fall quarter term needs of students and the college. Follett plans to reopen the campus Bookstore for in-person shopping at a future date, after more students return to campus, with limited in-person services beginning in December.

• How do I order a book for my classes?

  Faculty members should plan to submit all adoption information – including new adoptions or changes to existing adoptions – by using Follett’s online adoption tool, Discover Adopt.

  The new tool is available in the Faculty Apps section of MyPortal.

  • See above for FAQs and answers specifically related to the course materials adoption process.

• How do I order required supplies for my classes?

  All required supplies should be included as part of the textbook adoption information for your classes.

  You should plan to submit all adoption information – including new adoptions or changes to existing adoptions – by using Follett’s online adoption tool, Discover Adopt, which is available in the Faculty Apps section of MyPortal.

  • See above for FAQs and answers specifically related to the course materials adoption process.

• Will Open Educational Resources (OER) be available through the Bookstore?

  Follett supports OER adoptions through the Follett Discover tool. If print versions of OER are available, they may be available for purchase as well.

• Does Follett offer eBook options?

  Follett has a partnership with RedShelf to provision and deliver digital content.

• Do digital learning materials meet accessibility requirements?

  Follett’s digital provider, RedShelf, meets and exceeds industry standards around accessibility. You can read more in this article on RedShelf’s website.

• What if I want to adopt an edition not listed on the Follett Discover site?

  The Discover tool does not limit what you can adopt for your courses. You can adopt any edition and the Follett team will evaluate the availability and communicate with you if there are issues.

Still Have Questions?

Visit our Bookstore help page or send an email to deanza@bkstr.com and a member of the Follett team will respond as soon as possible.