What is BNC and what is VitalSource?
Hackley School continues its support for the use of digital textbooks used across our curricula. Along with our desire to capitalize on benefits found with the use of digital texts, we are also working to reduce the overall backpack weight for our students and helping families realize some financial savings over the cost of many traditional hardcopy texts.
MBS, recently renamed to BNC, is the name of the company that hosts and manages our digital bookstore. It is through and from this group that you can purchase your textbooks and apply, if appropriate, any financial aid credits. The key to the successful transaction is using the correct email address(es). If your child is new to Hackley School and has not yet received their student email account, please use the student’s personal email address.
As you shop the MBS/BNC online bookstore, you will note that many courses now include the option to purchase a digital book in lieu of a hardcopy or paperback. However, this increased choice of textbook formats can also cause confusion and elicit a number of questions. It is our hope that this webpage may help answer many of those questions. Please read through the FAQs below for further clarification.
To assist you in your purchase, this video explains how to assign course materials to your student so they can access their own digital content via a personal Digital Content Shelf – https://vimeo.com/383828795/239e270e56
Note: When, during the purchasing process, you are asked who will be receiving these materials. You will then be given the opportunity to enter your child’s email address. We recommend that you use your child’s personal email address, especially if they have not yet received their Hackley email account.
What is VitalSource and what is the VitalSource Bookshelf app?
VitalSource is a leading provider of digital content for learning and has partnered with BNC to bring these digital options to Hackley families. The VitalSource Bookshelf app will be used by students to access a VitalSource digital book. When shopping through the BNC site, those courses offering a digital eBook will have that option labeled as Digital eBook.
What if I Bought Hardcover or Paperback Textbooks?
If you have purchased hardcover or paperback books from BNC, then the purchase and delivery process remains unchanged from past years.
Creating Your VitalSource Account
To either download, install, or read a VitalSource digital book, each student must first create a free account within the VitalSource environment – https://www.vitalsource.com. That account can be created beforehand or during the first download.
Installing Texts from the BNC Digital Bookshelf
After your purchases, and while logged into the BNC Direct site, tap or click Menu => Digital Content. This will bring you to the BNC Digital Bookshelf – the location where your purchases are stored and available. If prompted, log into VitalSource to access your digital book. If using a computer or Chromebook, you may be prompted to download the Vital Source Bookshelf app and login, or your device may prompt you to login to the VitalSource website and download the textbook directly to your device. Please review the instructional video linked above for assistance.
VitalSource Purchases with a 365-day and Perpetual with Download Subscription
Students will notice that some VitalSource eBook purchases may come with 365-day online eRental and/or 365 perpetual with download. Both of these options have the 365 day access that can be used to read your book while online. With an eRental this online access will expire after 365 days. The perpetual with download option allows a student, at anytime during the school year, to download their VitalSource book to their device. This “download” option will allow students to access the book when offline, and there is no expiration for a downloaded book – it will remain with the student after the class and school year has ended.
Additional Notes From The Hackley Department Chairs
Digital Text Options Available In Each Academic Department
(100s) English Department
All English courses are requiring either paperback or hardcover texts for their courses. There are no digital options available for any English course.
Note – 10th and 11th grade English faculty will require certain readings and texts specific to their classes. Following the opening of school, parents of 10th and 11th graders are asked to revisit the BNC store to purchase those instructor specific texts.
(200s) History Department
(201) History 9
Although BNC only carries the paperback version of the texts for this class, if preferred, students using a device can purchase the digital versions from Amazon and use the Kindle app to access the book. Please make sure that you use the correct ISBN number, (found on the BNC site) to search for the correct Kindle version.
(204) U.S. to 1900, (205) Economics, (211) Modern European History
The texts for these courses are available in both hardcopy OR digital formats. Students can choose either option. It is NOT necessary to purchase both formats for any specific class!
(300s) Mathematics Department
(301) Quadratic Topics in Algebra, (304) Adv. Pre-Calculus, (309) AP Statistics, (310) BC Calculus, (312) AP Calculus AB/BC, (314) Multivariable Calculus, (328) AP Calculus I AB, (329) Calculus-Based AP Statistics
Students can purchase either the hard copy text OR the VitalSource digital version. It is NOT necessary to purchase both formats for any specific class!
(303) Advanced Algebra 2, (365) Algebra 2
Students can purchase EITHER the hard copy text, Algebra and Trigonometry – Package (Nasta Edition), or the MyMathLab digital version. It is NOT necessary to purchase both! The MyMathLab option will provide you with an access code which should be retained. After the start of school your child’s teacher will provide a class code to assist students with the completion of their access to the digital text. Note – MyMathLab is only accessible when online.
***Note – for those students who purchase a digital text from Pearson, please use this Pearson website for information on how you can access your text.***
(400s) Science Department
Most science classes do not require a text. For those that do, you may purchase either the ebook or the physical textbook, whichever you prefer. You do not need to purchase both. The text for (418) Physics 9, (below), is only available in digital format. Please be sure to buy the one that corresponds to your device (ie, apple or everything else).
(418) Physics
The Physics First text is only available in a digital format. It can be purchased through Apple iBooks or through the BNC bookstore. Following the purchase of the text through BNC, a student will see an authorization code on the BNC Digital Bookshelf. Students should copy that code and use it to install the book on their device.
(500s) Modern Languages
(All levels) French and Spanish
We recommend that students purchase new versions of the Vista Higher Learning (VHL) package for their language – Descubre, Revista, Temas, and Intrigas for Spanish and D’Accord, Perspectives, and Thèmes for French. Some of the packages will arrive with the textbook and a very important card/document bundled in the package. This card/document contains the student’s access code to the VHL SuperSite and should NOT be thrown away! Other purchases of texts will deliver the SuperSite code digitally through the BNC store. Please retain that card, code, or email and bring it to school. Our Modern Language teachers use the VHL SuperSite in their classes and can assist students in configuring their access.
(All levels) Chinese
Students in the Chinese program use paperback workbooks along with multiple websites and electronic learning tools for class assignments and language reinforcement in class and at home. These include e-books, Lingt, Better Chinese, FluentU and other Chinese language sites. All Chinese language students should have access at home to a computer with a headphone and microphone as well as printer and internet access. Personal devices should be set up to type Chinese characters using Pinyin or with character tracing recognition. Ms. Jan or Dr. Gray should be contacted should you have any questions about specific websites.
(600s) Classics Department
All courses in the Classics Department requiring a text, also require that a hardcopy of the text be purchased. No digital options are available for courses in our Classics Department.
(700s) Computer Science Department
(723) AP Computer Science A, (725) Programming, Simulations, and Design
A textbook will not be required for either of these courses.