Barnes & Noble Education and Eastern Kentucky University to Expand First Day® Complete Program with bartleby® Digital Study Tools to Enhance Student Success

All 14,000 EKU Students Will Have 24/7 Access to a Full Suite of On-Demand Study and Writing Resources

BASKING RIDGE, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Barnes & Noble College (BNC), a Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (NYSE: BNED) company and leading solutions provider for the education industry, today announced that it has expanded its First Day® Complete program for undergraduate students at Eastern Kentucky University (EKU), to include bartleby® digital study and writing tools for the entire student population.

BNC, which manages the EKU campus bookstore and associated school branded e-commerce site, will continue to provide all required course materials for all undergraduate students at EKU before the first day of class. With the new agreement, BNC will also provide the full suite of bartleby digital study tools to nearly 14,000 students across EKU’s three campuses, beginning in the Fall 2022 Term.

By delivering all course materials via one highly convenient concierge service, First Day Complete ensures students have access to all their required course materials before the first day of class, allowing them to engage with course content from day one, making them better prepared and facilitating their academic success, at average student savings of between 35-50%. The program offers full academic freedom for faculty, allowing them to select course materials they think are best for their curriculum and leverage BNC’s deep relationships with more than 6,000 publishers, creating a one-stop, simplified experience.

With the expanded partnership, all EKU students will also have 24/7 access to bartleby’s study resources, including experts who provide step-by-step explanations to questions in more than 30 subjects. In addition, students will have access to a virtual writing tool that provides essay building support, spelling and grammar checks, citation assistance, preventative plagiarism scans and AI-powered predictive scoring, among other features. Bartleby products and services are designed to improve student success and outcomes, offering pathways for learning that fit the schedules and demands of today's students.

“We are excited to announce the expansion of our partnership with EKU to enhance the student learning experience through this innovative course material model. Notably, this is our second First Day Complete program that now includes bartleby study tools. The program ensures that all EKU students are prepared to begin learning on day one and also have the on-demand 24/7 support they need as they advance on their educational journey,” said Jonathan Shar, President, Barnes & Noble College. “This partnership reinforces Barnes and Noble College’s differentiated and collaborative approach to working with our partner institutions to provide solutions to help drive improved learning outcomes. We look forward to advancing our partnerships with educational institutions across the U.S. and continuing to expand our offerings to support student academic success by enhancing access, convenience and affordability.”

“Eastern Kentucky University has a tradition of being the School of Opportunity. Our partnership with BNC helps us further this tradition and our commitment to the Commonwealth,” said EKU President David McFaddin. “One of our many goals as an Institution is to increase the accessibility of a four-year degree. Through this partnership, we are able to offer free textbooks to all undergraduate students through what we call the BookSmart program. We are the only public institution in the state making this opportunity available. Now, we get to expand our free support services through Bartleby. We will continue to look for innovative ways to increase the accessibility and affordability of higher education. We are thankful that BNC and Bartleby have a similar mission in increasing equity in learning.”

With First Day Complete, instead of purchasing materials a la carte, the cost is included in each student’s account at the same time tuition is charged. Ahead of the Fall 2022 Term, undergraduate students will receive an email from the EKU bookstore prompting them to select their preferred delivery method. The bookstore will prepare materials for each student and notify them when materials are available for in-store pickup or have shipped. Bartleby will be available to all undergraduate and graduate students through Blackboard, the university’s online course management system.

Hear what students, faculty and administrators had to say about their experiences using First Day Complete and how it has made a positive impact at their institutions. Watch the video, here.

For more information about First Day Complete, visit, www.bncollege.com/academic-solutions/first-day-complete/.

Barnes & Noble College, a Barnes & Noble Education company, currently operates more than 770 campus stores nationwide. For more information about Barnes & Noble College’s services and locations, visit www.bncollege.com.

ABOUT BARNES & NOBLE EDUCATION, INC.

Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (NYSE: BNED) is a leading solutions provider for the education industry, driving affordability, access and achievement at hundreds of academic institutions nationwide and ensuring millions of students are equipped for success in the classroom and beyond. Through its family of brands, BNED offers campus retail services and academic solutions, a digital direct-to-student learning ecosystem, wholesale capabilities and more. BNED is a company serving all who work to elevate their lives through education, supporting students, faculty and institutions as they make tomorrow a better, more inclusive and smarter world. For more information, visit www.bned.com.