The CRC Bookstore will be going through some changes in future semesters. Visit this page to read the latest announcements.
March 27, 2026: Bookstore Transition and Textbook Adoptions Announcement
It's time to report textbook and instructional material adoptions and ZTC status. The college is transitioning to a new bookstore vendor, but the change in the textbook/supplies adoption portal will not begin until Fall 2026. Until then, Follett remains our official bookstore provider. It's very important to report your textbook adoptions and instructional materials to Follett, even if your course uses OER.
We need information now for Summer and Fall 2026. These adoptions will be shared with Barnes & Noble so that their commerce site is accurate when it goes live in July.
If you need to add or remove the Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) symbol to your classes, please also complete the ZTC eForm.
Get questions answered quickly:
- CRC's ZTC and Required Instructional Materials Helper - an AI helper created by AERC to help answer questions quickly, and link you to helpful instructions.
- Want instructions the old fashioned way? Check out these slide decks:
- Instructional slideshow: Using Follett Discover to Report Commercial Textbook Adoptions to the Bookstore
- Instructional slideshow: Reporting Material Costs and Adopting Supplies at the Los Rios Bookstore
- Instructional slideshow: Using the Employee Self Service ZTC Reporting Tool to Add or Remove the ZTC Symbol
Thank you for helping ensure students have accurate course material information before they register.
February 10, 2026: Update on the Campus Store Retail Services Request for Proposal
The District’s prior bookstore contract with Follett concluded on June 30, 2025, and was extended for an additional year through June 30, 2026 to ensure continuity of services while a formal RFP process was conducted. This extension allowed the District and Colleges to undertake a comprehensive and deliberate review of bookstore services, affordability, delivery models, and long-term operational sustainability.
Following this year-long review, comprehensive RFP process, and formal evaluation, the District has selected Barnes & Noble College as the recommended bookstore vendor.
As part of this transition, the District is moving toward a hybrid campus store model that reflects evolving student needs and purchasing behaviors. Under this model, American River College and Sacramento City College will continue to operate physical campus store locations. Cosumnes River College and Folsom Lake College will transition to an online bookstore for textbooks, classroom materials and promotional items. All colleges will expand access to online course materials, merchandise, and services through enhanced digital platforms. This approach allows the District to reduce reliance on traditional brick-and-mortar operations while increasing affordability, accessibility, and flexibility for students.
This recommendation reflects the collective work of the evaluation committee, made up of faculty, classified professional, administrator, and student voices, and the District’s procurement process. Throughout the process, the committee prioritized student affordability, access to course materials, service quality, technology integration, Open Educational Resources (OER), and long-term sustainability. The recommendation to award the contract to Barnes & Noble College is scheduled to be presented to the Board of Trustees at its February 18, 2026 meeting.
The Bookstore Evaluation Committee was intentionally structured to ensure broad, cross-functional, and governance-aligned input. Membership reflected a balance of instructional, student services, administrative, classified, and student perspectives from across the colleges, along with District participation. The committee’s work was further supported by independent financial and operational analysis to ensure objectivity and rigor throughout the evaluation.
Committee members reviewed written proposals, evaluated qualitative and financial criteria, participated in vendor presentations and extended question-and-answer sessions, and applied a standardized scoring rubric in accordance with District procurement requirements. Throughout the process, the committee prioritized student affordability, access to course materials, service quality, technology integration, Open Educational Resources (OER), and long-term sustainability.
At this stage, the District is completing final contract close-out activities and preparing for Board consideration. Once Board action has occurred, additional details will be shared regarding implementation planning, transition timelines, and campus-specific next steps. We’ll be working closely with faculty leadership to make sure any changes to the adoption process are as seamless as possible and well communicated. We expect the transition to take place throughout the spring and be complete this summer.
We recognize that bookstore services directly affect students, faculty, and staff, and we appreciate the time and care invested by committee members and campus representatives throughout this process. Thank you for your patience as we move into the next phase of implementation.
Additional information will be shared as it becomes available. Please bookmark this page for future updates.
December 1, 2025: Bookstore Update
A reminder that the CRC Bookstore will be there to serve our faculty and students throughout the Spring 2026 semester.
Faculty, please place your book orders for Spring through Follett and know that your students will be able to pick up books right here at our CRC campus.
Eventually we will be moving away from a physical space for our bookstore, but for the upcoming Spring 2026 semester, we have our same bookstore services.
Moving forward, only ARC and SCC will have brick and mortar bookstores. CRC and FLC will transition to an online bookstore for textbooks, classroom materials and promotional items beginning July 1, 2026, but all students districtwide will have access to the bookstores at our larger campuses.
As we stated in the September 22, 2025 Inside CRC issue, more students are taking classes online, and roughly 75% of CRC course sections are Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) courses which means only about 25% of CRC classes now require a traditional textbook (whether print or digital). As a result, bookstore sales have significantly declined, and it’s become clear that companies who operate in-person bookstores do not see a path to sustainability at campuses with a minimal number of traditional textbooks.
Please direct any questions to CRC Vice President of Administrative Services, Theresa Tena.
September 22, 2025: Bookstore Changes Coming Soon
The college bookstore is about to go through some big changes. A districtwide Request for Proposals (RFP’s) for Campus Store Retail Services was issued August 26. Faculty supplied invaluable feedback related to the course materials section of the RFP.
Moving forward, it’s likely that only ARC and SCC will have brick & mortar bookstores. CRC and FLC will likely transition to an online bookstore for textbooks, classroom materials and promotional items, but all students districtwide will have access to the bookstores at our larger campuses.
With more students taking classes online, and in large part because of our strong efforts to expand the use of Open Educational Resources (OER) and Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) courses, only about 25% of CRC classes now require a traditional textbook (whether print or digital). As a result, bookstore sales have significantly declined, and it’s become clear that companies who operate in-person bookstores (including to the bookstore consultant who has worked with CRC and the other Los Rios colleges for the past several years) may not see a path to sustainability at campuses with a minimal amount of traditional textbooks.
Make no mistake, the work to expand the use of OER/ZTC materials at CRC has been an incredibly positive transition for our students, saving approximately $13 million dollars over the last 3 years. Thank you to the outstanding CRC faculty and staff who have led this effort, truly positioning CRC as a national leader in affordability.
The college has until July 1, 2026 to have a new course materials delivery process in place, and we’ll be working with faculty leadership to ensure this transition is smooth.
Discussions are also beginning to determine how best to utilize the current bookstore space for student benefit in the future.
Please direct any questions to CRC Vice President of Administrative Services, Theresa Tena.