Spring Book Orders Due

I know that some people don’t have quite the same rigamarole that other people have with books, but they were a hot topic early in the year (remember that Beck’s Sponsored, Faculty lunch, featuring about 35 (timed) minutes of ripping on Beck’s and the whole book ordering thing?). Since then, the suit-types upstairs have been working with the book people to try to develop a better system, and the first test is nigh. Book Orders for Spring (from FT Faculty members are due by this coming Wednesday, October 26th:

From your email:

In response to concerns regarding the early deadlines for book orders, we are trying something new.  Full-time faculty will order their books for the spring 2012 semester directly through Beck’s faculty textbook site.  Some departments prefer to have a single point person to handle submission of textbooks.  Please check with your department chair before submitting orders.

Department chairs are responsible for ordering books used by adjuncts.  This can be delegated or shared in a manner that best suits the department.

PROCEDURE:
1. Go to this URL: http://www.becksbooks.com/textbook-faculty/harold-washington-college/ad_facinfo
2. Create an account if you are new to the Beck’s system, or login if you have used the site before.
3. Enter the textbook and class information.
4. Review your order.
5. Submit.

ACCURACY:  Hector from Beck’s will send weekly reports that will be shared with faculty.   This will be your opportunity to verify the accuracy of your order. Departments should consider compiling a single booklist to reconcile the information being forwarded by Beck’s.  (Not required, but a good suggestion from Domenico Ferri)

ACCOUNTABILITY:  This new process will allow you more time to choose the books for the coming semester.  In the past, extensions for book order submission have been granted.  THERE WILL BE NO EXTENSIONS.  The deadline for submission is a hard deadline.

ENTER TEXTBOOK ORDERS BETWEEN:
September 26, 2011 – October 26, 2011

DEADLINE:
Wednesday, October 26, 2011- 11:59 PM

As an extra bonus, and just out of curiosity, I’d love to know what books other people are teaching. One year I found out, quite by accident, that I was teaching A Room of One’s Own and someone in the English department had just taught it. Another year, the same thing happened with Emerson. Another year, the same thing happened with Ellison (and Larnell and I almost managed to pull off some sort of cross-department collaboration, but couldn’t because I was an organizational failure.

Anyway, if you’re teaching something cool, or something for the first time, I’m sure we’d all love to know about it. Either way, make sure you get that order in to Beck’s by Wednesday…