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Day One Access Programs

Everything students need on day one.
Experience Day One Access 

Improving Access, Affordability, and Readiness Across Campus

For many students, course materials are where the college experience begins. They shape expectations around affordability, convenience, and support from the start. Day One Access programs help remove common barriers by making required materials affordable and accessible on day one, giving instructors confidence that students are prepared and supporting smoother operations across campus.

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Flexible Programs for Every Institution

Day One Access models help students start prepared, keep pricing competitive, and deliver a smooth course materials experience across campus. VitalSource offers three different models, giving institutions the flexibility to choose the approach that aligns best with their campus needs.

Total Access (TA)

  • Flat-rate, institution-wide, all-inclusive
  • Includes all required digital and print course materials
  • Instant access to digital content in campus LMS
  • Program level opt-out

Course Access (CA)

  • Course-by-course, faculty-driven, digital-first
  • Includes required digital course materials for select courses
  • Instant access to digital content in campus LMS
  • Item level opt-out

Flexible Access (FA)

  • Combines Total Access, Course Access, and retail options
  • Includes all required digital and print course materials
  • Instant access to digital content in campus LMS
  • Offers students the ultimate choice in selecting the most suitable and cost-effective way to access their course materials

Which Day One Access Program Is Right for Your Campus?

Every campus approaches course material delivery a little differently. Day One Access programs are designed to flex around your needs, not force a single model. Rather than asking campuses to change how they operate, VitalSource works with you to identify the program structure that best aligns with your goals, resources, and day-to-day workflows.

Common Considerations

When campuses explore Day One Access programs, conversations often center on a few key priorities:

  • Convenience for students
  • Affordability and price predictability
  • Instructor academic freedom
  • Operational efficiency

There’s no one “right” answer. The right program is the one that best supports your campus priorities while improving the student experience.

How We Help You Decide

When you connect with VitalSource, our team works alongside campus stakeholders to:

  • Understand your current course material workflows
  • Identify opportunities to improve access and affordability without adding complexity
  • Align program options with institutional priorities and instructional needs
  • Design a Day One Access approach that can scale over time

With all delivery models, the goal is a program that supports the whole campus.

Let's Start the Conversation

Powerful Technology, Flexible Management Options

Self-Management

Ideal for campus stores that want full control of their operations using VitalSource tools, with on-demand support from our top-tier Customer Success Team.

Collaborative Management

Ideal for campus stores seeking transitional or team support. Work alongside VitalSource adoption and access specialists to manage your programs efficiently while keeping control in your hands.

Virtual Management

Ideal for the campus store seeking a primarily virtual course materials experience. Often referred to as a hybrid model, the campus continues to run the physical store on campus and the course materials experience is powered and managed by VitalSource.

Campus-Wide Impact from Day One

Day One Access programs offer a comprehensive solution that benefits the entire campus. By providing convenient, affordable access to course materials, these programs not only support student success but also enhance institutional efficiency, allow instructors to focus on teaching, and reduce operational burden on campus stores.

Campus Stores

Campus Stores benefit from streamlined course materials management, higher digital adoption rates, and exclusive insights from innovative reporting tools.

Campus Administrators

Day One Access programs simplify course materials management, help institutions remain competitive, and support improved academic outcomes.

Instructors

Instructors maintain their academic freedom and experience increased student engagement with learners ready and prepared on the first day of class.

Students

Students begin class confident and prepared with immediate access to required learning tools through one familiar experience, helping them engage from day one.

Built for Learning at Scale

VitalSource is the trusted partner powering the world’s Learning Delivery Network built with the standards, compliance, and learning science rigor modern education demands. Whether you’re taking your first steps into digital learning, scaling your programs, or preparing for the next wave of innovation, VitalSource brings the expertise and technology to meet you where you are. These aren’t just features; they’re foundational requirements that set learning programs up for long-term success.

Explore Industry-Leading Compliance

Predictable Affordability

High-quality course materials that are available at a price that students can count on and plan for, with no surprise costs

Seamless Integrations

A connected ecosystem that works with your existing systems and delivers a consistent experience for students, instructors, and partners.

Always-On Resiliency

Infrastructure and solutions that provide reliable access and dependable performance.

Global Scalability with Full Integrity

A consistent user experience worldwide with full compliance, accessibility, and scalability for every customer.

Operational Velocity

Tools and systems that are built to work and scale with a dedicated and experienced team to keep partners on track.

Forward-Looking Innovation

Investment that is ahead of the market with compliant products and the newest technology, allowing customers to navigate the next disruption point.

Actionable Data & Insights

Easy-to-find analytics and expert insights that make data-driven decisions possible.

Ubiquitous Convenience

Easy and convenient delivery and access of digital course materials, from publisher to institution to student.

Trustworthy AI

AI built responsibly and grounded in learning science that creates meaningful, scalable learning experiences with safety and integrity at the core.
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Predictable Affordability

High-quality course materials that are available at a price that students can count on and plan for, with no surprise costs

Trusted by Campus Stores and Institutions Globally

See what everybody is saying about VitalSource

"Several faculty [members] have shared that they felt confident about asking students to interact with materials in the first week of class. That is exactly the behavior we're hoping to drive with this [Total Access] program because we know that early engagement with materials is a high predictor for success in the course."
- Suzanne Donnelly, Senior Associate Director, Bronco Bookstore, Cal Poly Pomona
“Our three goals for the [Course Access] program were affordability, ease of billing, and first-day access. It's been tremendous for us the way everything has worked out, and we look forward to continuing.” 
– Barry Waters, Director, Central Michigan University Bookstore
“We've been doing [Course Access] since 2016 and when we look to see what the next step was going to be to grow that program, a Flexible Access model gave us the best opportunity to customize a program to meet all the diverse needs of our campus at UCLA.”
– Scott Chapman, Book Division Manager, UCLA

See Day One Access in action.

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