A designated portion of undergraduate tuition called student segregated fees is the sole funding source for the Instructional Resource Rental program.

With every request for a new rental textbook the instructor must submit a short rationale explaining the need to change textbooks for the course, or add new materials to the course. Rental requests submitted without a rationale will not be submitted to the IRR Committee to review for approval.

All requests for titles not currently in the rental textbook inventory are reviewed by the IRR Committee prior to the bookstore placing the order for the textbook. This is consistent for courses that are updating to the new edition of a previously used textbook, or moving to a completely new text.

A Discard Authorization Form is also required with each new request — to remove the existing inventory for the course and keep the program clean and current. If a discard cannot be submitted for the existing textbook, an explanation of the need to maintain it in rental textbook inventory must be provided with the new book request.

The IRR Committee reviews the rationale provided by the faculty for every new rental request, regardless of where the request falls in the priority list for the term. 

The Committee is looking for information specifically on the following: 

• Why the existing title in inventory no longer supports the needs of the course.
  
  • Software updates, significant changes in the field topic covered, etc.
• What the new textbook offers that will improve the experience for the students if the new textbook is approved.
• If your request is an additional text for the course, include information on why multiple titles are required for the course.
• In situations where different faulty use different textbooks, include information on why the textbooks in inventory will not work for your course. *Please be sure to have looked through the existing titles for the course before making your decision and have specifics on why they will not work*

You or your program assistant may request desk copies directly from the publisher through Faculty Enlight. 

• Click on "Faculty Resources" in the top right corner.
• Sign into FacultyEnlight or create new account.
• Click on "Search" in the gray bar across the top of the page. (to the left)
• Enter the ISBN for the text in question. (no dashes are needed)
• On the lower right of your screen – just above "Adopt This Book" is the information on requesting desk copies. Either a form to print and fax to   the publisher, a link directly to the publishers' website for your request, or information on who to call to make your request will be available here for your convenience.

For desk copies on short notice, faculty may check out a copy with their staff ID if there are sufficient quantities for currently enrolled students. Copies are due back to the bookstore at the end of the term or immediately by an enrolled student.

All classes are guaranteed one text — so please identify one title as your primary resource. Secondary titles may also be requested, and will be stocked if there is money in the Instructional Resource Rental Department budget after changes in primary texts have been processed. The final decision to add materials to the IRR inventory is made by the IRR Committee, based on the available budget. The text must have a retail selling price of more than $30. If that price is $30 or less, the material must be purchased by the student. Call 715-836-2172 for information about ordering these Purchase Course Books.

Requests received after the order deadline for each term will have the lowest priority and may be denied.

**If your publisher representative has suggested a package for your course, it will not be approved by the IRR Committee as a bundle.  Only the textbook alone will be supported by the rental program. Solution manuals and codes must be purchased by the students.

If the text you are choosing is only available in a loose-leaf version; a custom paperback printing will need to be requested. Please make the Bookstore aware of this as soon as possible so they can start the process with the publishers in time to have the copies available for the course start date.**

You may request a different text each semester, if you feel the need — but priorities will be set according to the following guidelines:

• Textbooks that have been in use for at least six Fall or Spring semesters will have top priority. Summer and Winterim terms do not count towards this term usage. 
• A Discard Authorization Form for the current text must accompany the request for a new title. The discard process is the same as outlined above.

Textbooks that have been used fewer than six terms will be ranked in descending order based on the number of terms used, with titles closer to 6 terms having a higher priority. Please see "What information should be included in my rationale.." above for specifics on writing your rationale.

Requests received after the order deadline for each term will have the lowest priority and may be denied.

The Instructional Resource Rental Department will notify you if your text goes out of print, and will retain the text until the current inventory no longer meets class size. Once you have determined what your new text will be, complete a Discard Authorization Form for the current title and submit it with your new order. Requests for new titles must be accompanied by a Discard Authorization Form for the current text; the discard process is the same as outlined above.

There may be circumstances that would require a change in textbooks regardless of faculty desire. The Bookstore will make faculty aware at the earliest opportunity that a change must be made, and will provide necessary information to the IRR Committee to prioritize the request to change.

All decisions on new requests for the Rental Textbook Inventory are made by the Instructional Resource Rental Committee. Their decisions are based on the ranking process mentioned above and budget availability. If the IRR Committee determines that the budget will be depleted before all requests are processed, a subcommittee of the IRR Committee will rank requests in order of priority. Requests not funded for the term in question can be resubmitted for the next term the course is taught. Information will be maintained on which requests were denied based on funding and those will be given a higher priority for the next term requested.

You do. When you submit a request for a new rental textbook, a Discard Authorization Form is required for the existing textbook in inventory for the course. If a discard cannot be submitted for the existing text, an explanation for the need to keep it is required with the new textbook request. 

IRR Department will remove from its inventory any textbook that has not been used for more than two years. A list of these titles is provided to the department each Fall and Spring for the review before they are removed. An explanation of the need to keep the text in inventory must be submitted by the book order deadline for that term to maintain the textbook in rental inventory. 

If you decide to discard an IRR resource, be aware that the title is physically removed from inventory when the replacement has been received in the bookstore.

Titles removed from the Rental Textbook Inventory cannot be added back for future terms — unless there is a new edition available at the time of request.

Students must return all of their rental materials by the last day of final exams or they will be fined, and they will be billed for the publishers current list price of the texts if they are not returned. Students have been confused when instructors have told them that the rental resource they are using will be discarded. The students assume — incorrectly — that they do not need to return that text to the Instructional Resource Rental Department.

Yes. Encourage them to stock their professional libraries by buying their textbooks. Students may buy any of the resources in the Instructional Resource Rental Department — even those used in courses they may not be taking at the time. A purchase period is set every Fall and Spring semester. This period begins the third Monday of the term and ends on the first Friday of the last month of the term. During this period students may buy any rental material in inventory for 25% off the publishers current list price.

The last day students may return Instructional Resource Rental Department materials without a fine is the last day of final exams... But books may be returned at any time before then, and may be brought back one at a time. Students should verify their returns have been completed accurately after any return transaction by checking their account in CampS.

*Log into CampS

• Click on Self-Service from menu on left side of page
• Click on View Rented Textbooks

This page will show; real time, which titles remain on their account and which term they are due for.

No. All books and instructional resource materials for “graduate only” courses (numbered 500 and higher) must be purchased by the student. Call 715-836-2172 for these Purchase Course Book orders.

On a day-to-day basis, the University Bookstore manager oversees the rental program budget. The budget is developed by University Centers, approved by the University Senate, and reviewed by the Instructional Resource Rental Committee. The IRR Committee is advisory to the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs. The final decision to add materials to the IRR inventory is made by the IRR Committee, based on the available budget.

Formed in 1990, the Instructional Resource Rental Committee is composed of five UW-Eau Claire instructional faculty/staff (appointed for three-year terms); three students (appointed annually); and five ex-officio and non-voting members.

Instructional faculty/staff members who are interested in appointment to the IRR Committee may contact the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, 715-836-3107. Students may contact the UW-Eau Claire Student Senate Office, 715-836-4646. 

2021-22 IRR committee                         

PURPOSE AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES

The purpose of the IRR Committee is to save students money. 

Guiding operating principles include

• Students First
• Transparency
• Fiscal responsibility
• Communication

Functions of the Instructional Resource Rental Committee:

• Recommend policies concerning instructional resource rental materials and services that support the curriculum and academic programs of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
• Monitor the practices and procedures of the Instructional Resource Rental Department and the requests of the instructional staff.
• Review the Instructional Resource Rental Department budget.
• Make final decisions to add materials to the IRR inventory based on the available budget.