Bookstores still need help - give a few hours of your time

The MCC bookstores still have a several volunteer positions to be filled beginning tomorrow through Aug. 26. This is a great way to connect to students in a different way and learn more about MCC processes. You can even have fun while doing it!

To volunteer contact the bookstore managers listed. For more information on the areas of help needed, click here.

Bookstore Contacts:
BTC – Lawrence Ore 5487
BR – Nita Isenhour 6690
LV – Michelle Capps 2226
MW – Beth Austin 3182
PV – Selin Gaona 4190

Bookstore Volunteer Opportunities for Employees

MCC bookstores want you! Help get the students set up for the first day of class! MCC employees are needed to volunteer at any of the campus bookstores during the week of Aug. 18 – 26 , time range between 7:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. Exceptions to these dates are noted in descriptions below.

To volunteer, contact the bookstore manager to set up a time (contact information at bottom of post).

Volunteer Descriptions (It’s not a job, it’s an adventure!)

Internet order Window: Locations: PV, MW (8/11-8/26)
• Organize boxed orders.
• Verify student ID and order # against Bookstore order list.
• Validate ordered items against order summary.
• Reseal box and release to student.
• May require some lifting.

Receipt checker: Locations: PV
• Check merchandise/book receipts to match the merchandise/book leaving the store.
• Direct incoming traffic to the store.

Book re-stocker: Locations: PV
• Restock the back shelves.
• Will require some lifting.

Merchandise Re-stocker: Locations: PV
• Restock the sales floor.
• Will require some lifting.

Financial Aid Checker: Locations: PV, BTC, MW (8/11-8/26)
• Verify all students receiving financial aid have their aid posted to their accounts. If the aid is not posted, they will not be able to charge their purchases to their financial aid. BTC IS VALIDATING INTERNET ORDERS
• Volunteer will be equipped with a computer to check their account information prior to the student waiting in line.

Sales Floor Assistance: Locations: PV, BR (8/11 & 8/12 ONLY)
• Walk the sales floor to provide assistance as necessary.

Internet Order Filer: Locations: BTC
• Once order is processed, put in numeric order, hole punch and place in folder

Phones: Locations: MW, LV, BR
• Answer phones at bookstore

Bookstore Contacts:
BTC – Lawrence Ore 5487
BR – Nita Isenhour 6690
LV – Michelle Capps 2226
MW – Beth Austin 3182
PV – Selin Gaona 4190

Rental Books due back July 29 - Don't forget!

Students: Summer RENTAL BOOKS are due back to the campus bookstore before 4 p.m. on July 29, 2011.

Students: Bookstore closing for inventory - get supplies early

All of the MCC bookstores will close for inventory at noon on June 24 and will reopen at 7:30 a.m. on July 5, 2011.

Students, be sure you purchase any testing materials or supplies you might need before that time.

Students: Textbook rentals are due next Friday

All MCC students who rented textbooks this semester must return those books to the MCC bookstore where they rented them from before 4 p.m. on May 20. Charges will be placed on student accounts of those students with outstanding text rentals.  If a student has an outstanding charge on their account, they will not be eligible to graduate or enroll for future semesters until those charges are cleared.

Textbook buyback begins May 16

Student textbook buyback and rental returns:
May 16 - 19: 8 a.m. - noon and 1 p.m. - 6:30 p.m
May 20: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Textbook rentals must be returned to the same bookstore you rented them from.

MCC bookstores undergo process review

Last month, Vice Chancellor Tuesday Stanley formed a task force to conduct a process review of the MCC bookstores. The task force, chaired by Patricia Amick, MCC director of management advisory services, and Mindy Johnson, MCC-Penn Valley academic advisor, will gather information on procedures in all five MCC bookstores and conduct a financial analysis.


Specifically, the group is charged with:

• Reporting on the current processes of the bookstores;

• Gathering best practice data on other institutions’ bookstores that are markedly profitable;

• Developing recommendations on process improvements for MCC bookstores that improve the stores’ profitability and retail environment and integrate the bookstores into the student enrollment process; and

• Analyzing the feasibility of outsourcing versus internal management of the bookstores.

To inform their work, the task force will conduct online surveys for both MCC students and MCC employees. The student survey will be posted on the MCC bookstores’ web page today and a team will deploy on the campuses this week to invite students to sit down and provide their feedback. The employee survey will be distributed by email on May 3. Your feedback is valuable; please respond!

The task force, which includes two representatives from the district-wide bookstore staff, will solicit addition input from other bookstore personnel throughout the process. Johnson and Amick will present a plan to Stanley on Sept. 2, 2011.

Penn Valley bookstore now selling bus passes!

Students and employees can now puchase Metro bus passes in the MCC-Penn Valley bookstore. Passes are $50 regular rate and $25.00 reduced for qualified persons.
Persons who wish to see if they qualify for the reduced rate can visit kcata.org for reduced fare qualifications.

Shorter lines anticipated at MCC bookstores

College bookstores across the city are expecting long lines as student’s line up to get their text books and supplies for the upcoming spring semester. While lines are a common problem during the first days of school, MCC has been working on ways to make the student experience better.

One of those ways is the implementation of new shipping deals. Students who ordered text books from MCC’s online bookstores were able to take advantage of free shipping to their homes. MCC began offering free shipping on all text books and materials ordered through the online bookstore from Dec. 20 through Jan. 5.

Though the final numbers are not in yet, the free shipping program seems to be working. Preliminary numbers show that what used to be a 20/80 ratio now looks to be about 75/25, with 75% being the number of books shipped. MCC-Maple Woods shipped 485 orders last week. Beth Austin, MCC-Maple Woods bookstore manager is excited about the free shipping because it will help eliminate line processing and cashier hold up.

Rental Texts
The text rental program, which began at MCC in 2009, didn’t originally allow rentals to be ordered through the online bookstore. That old process contributed to even longer lines and hold ups in the book stores. It was a hassle for students who purchased the majority of texts online, because they still had to come to campus to get their rental texts. That has now been streamlined through online orders.

Rental books offer students greater savings. Some texts can cost as much as $250. Reinhard Weglarz, director of management and auxiliary services at MCC said, “Through the rental program, the student never gets stuck with a book that we won’t buyback.”

Students picking up rental books at campus bookstores will be triaged through a different line, (if they have no other purchases). The bookstores have been staffed differently than before to handle the volume with much more efficiency. “Students can sign for rental books and leave,” said Weglarz.

“To help reduce line reduction during peak times, the bookstores have implemented the ticket system, like at the DMV,” said Selin Gaona, MCC-Penn Valley bookstore manager. “Our computers now check financial aid information when students pick up their ticket [for online orders]. These changes are going to make people more satisfied because the lines are anticipated to be shorter.”

Bookstores closing early today!

The MCC bookstores will be closing today (Dec. 8) at noon. Be sure that you have all the items you made need to take any exams for this afternoon or evening. Normal bookstore hours will resume tomorrow.

MCC-Longview bookstore announces its holiday hours

Whether you are retuning this semester's books or gearing up for the next, here is a list of the new times the bookstore will be open during the holidays.

Dec. 8 - Open 7:30 a.m. – Noon

Dec. 13 – 17 - Book Buyback

- Monday - Thursday: 8 a.m. - Noon, 1 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
- Friday: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Dec. 17 - Last day to return rental texts

Dec. 20 - Website opens for orders with free shipping until Jan.5

Jan. 3 - 5 - Bookstore closed to process book orders

For more information, contact the bookstore at 604.2188 or check out the bookstore's website.

Notice to Students: Important bookstore information!

The bookstores throughout the district will close at noon on Dec. 8. Make sure you purchase any materials you may need for testing (scantrons, etc.) if you have a test that afternoon or evening.

The bookstores will reopen at 7:30 a.m. on Dec. 9. and continue the regularly scheduled hours. Book buyback is the following week, Dec. 13-17.

Those students that have rental text books need to have them returned to the bookstores by Dec. 17 at 4 p.m. to avoid charges on your student account.

MCC-Blue River alumni hosts book signing

It was Plato that said “Poetry comes nearer to vital truth than history.” MCC-Blue River reading tutor, Eve Brackenbury grasps that statement and pulls it into the 21st century in her own distinctive way.

Brackenbury was inspired to write her book, “A Companion of Lesser Brilliance,” by examining the enigmatic truths of life and the world around her. She says of poetry, “it gives the artist a chance to explore the less concrete elements [of life] without being forced to find answers."

Last week, Brackenbury participated in two book signings hosted by the Blue River Bookstore. During that time, she shared stories and motivations as well as advice for aspiring poets.

“Poets should be active in poetry communities,” she says contemplatively. In fact, her connection with local poetry networks catapulted her into becoming a published poet. She encountered her publisher at a local poetry event.

Brackenbury considers herself a muse for students and other poets. A MCC-Blue River alumni, she’s been a reading tutor for four years. She enjoys the creativity teaching affords her. “I would tutor free!” she said with a giggle.

Theresa Hannon and Rich Higgason are two Blue River instructors Brackenbury credits with helping her hone her craft. “Theresa encouraged me to write and Rich put the fear in me to write well."

Of her book “A Companion of Lesser Brilliance” Brackenbury says it has “a lot of magic in it’s pages." When pushed to further depict it’s contents, she simply states it represents madness as “two lovers have a tryst with the moon."

Eve’s next book, simply entitled “You” will be out next year.

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Find more photographs on the MCC-Blue River Facebook page.

MCC-Penn Valley bookstore event draws crowd for unlikely cause

The bookstore at MCC-Penn Valley knew they had to come up with a clever hook to get student feedback. So they partnered with campus life and leadership to host an event in the main lobby that featured video games, music, balloons, crafts, desserts and surveys.

Students completed surveys on their experiences at the bookstore as well as input on products they would like to see on the shelves.

MCC-Penn Valley bookstore salutes faculty

Love beads, bell bottoms and peace signs were all the rage at MCC-Penn Valley book store's third annual faculty appreciation celebration. This year's event was a blast from the past as book store staff & decor saluted the wild and crazy '60s!

MCC-Blue River's very own published author - Eve Brackenbury

Don’t miss an occasion to experience Eve Brackenbury’s recently published book “A Companion of Lesser Brilliance”. Brackenbury, a MCC-Blue River creative writing and English tutor, will read excerpts from her paperback inside the Bookstore on the Blue River campus. Copies will be available for purchase.

Mark your calendar to join Eve at either (or both) of the following appearances:

Wednesday, Oct. 27
2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 28
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

The Bookstore is located in the Education Building on the MCC-Blue River campus. The campus address is 20301 E. 78th Hwy in Independence, Mo. 64057-2053.

MCC-Blue River applauds Eve Brackenbury on her accomplishment and wishes her continued success.

Students IDs now in MCC-Penn Valley bookstore

The hustle and bustle of the first week of classes was made easier this week at MCC-Penn Valley. Students were able to get their IDs taken in the bookstore.

The bookstore and campus life and leadership are located on separate floors, but they joined forces to make student processes as simple as possible and provide seamless service to students.

What a novel approach to providing teamwork and customer service!

MCC-Maple Woods Bookstore carries handmade fair trade items

As MCC campuses make an ongoing effort to support small businesses, the MCC-Maple Woods bookstore is taking it a step further by supporting global economic development – offering handmade bags purchased as part of a Fair Trade Federation exchange. The bags, which are handmade in Kathmandu, Nepal, are crafted from organic fibers native to the area by local artisans.

Fair Trade is a movement dedicated to equalizing trade practices on a global scale. Local specialties, items and handicrafts are purchased from local artists and vendors, often at a slightly higher price, while cutting out as many outside individuals as possible. The money flows to the workers themselves and infuses the local economy while supplying higher-quality items. All producers must meet conditions laid out by the Fairtrade Labeling Organization that ensures safe and effective practices for workers and the environment.