Instant Access Program | The Cornell Store

Instant Access

The Instant Access program for graduate/professional students delivers digital course materials directly to students' Canvas Learning Management System (LMS) profile on or before the first day of class. The Instant Access Program will be the default way for you to receive your materials for the classes utilizing the Instant Access Program. View detailed instructions for accessing your Instant Access materials.

When shopping for textbooks, you may notice Instant Access on your booklist. What is Instant Access? The Cornell Store and faculty have partnered with publishers to provide required digital course materials by the first day of class at a significantly reduced price! Digital textbooks are directly integrated into the corresponding Canvas course and students have immediate access as soon as the instructor opens the course. With Instant Access courses, there’s no advanced purchase of course materials required. Students have two weeks from the start of class to decide whether to keep access to the digital textbook or opt-out. If you choose to continue access to the digital textbook after the two week trial period, we’ll conveniently charge your bursar account at the predetermined price.

How does it work?

  • Faculty chooses the digital course materials to offer via Instant Access
  • Student receives access to digital course materials through Canvas by Day 1 of the semester
  • Student chooses to remain opted-in and is bursar billed for the cost of the materials.
  • Student chooses to opt-out by the specified opt-out date and is not charged for the cost of the materials.
Note: students who choose to opt-out are still responsible for acquiring any required materials used in the course.


Instructions for Redeeming Your Instant Access Materials

Instant Access Instructions for Students (pdf file)

Instant Access offers:

  • Day 1 access to digital course materials through Canvas
  • Transformation of the learner experience with interactive digital content and ebooks
  • Reduced course materials cost compared to current print options


Frequently Asked Questions

  • You don’t have to do anything! Just log in to the Canvas course using Instant Access and follow the instructions listed to access your materials. After the opt-out deadline, we will simply bill the cost of the materials to your bursar account. To opt out, click the Instant Access - Vitalsource tab in Canvas, find the item you’d like to opt out of, then click the opt-out button on the corresponding digital material. You may also log in to cornellstore.vitalsource.com to access your ebooks and to opt out.

 

Once Canvas is open for the semester, you will have access to your course materials automatically. Your bursar account will be billed for the materials after the add period, unless you opt out. See “What does opt out mean?” below.

Instant Access facilitates a new approach to teaching and learning that adapts to changing student dynamics. Digital course materials provide a flexible learning environment and can make college more affordable, more convenient, and more effective. Students enrolled in an Instant Access course will receive access to all required digital course materials on the first day of class and at a reduced cost compared to the national average.

 

Check your student booklist for the price of your Instant Access materials. To view pricing for your course(s) participating in the Instant Access program, please go to cornellstore.com, and select “Shop Textbooks by Course.” Log in to view your personalized booklist. Instant Access items will display with the message, “This item does not need to be added to your shopping cart. It will automatically be delivered to your Canvas course page once enrolled in the course. To maintain access to the digital content, your bursar account will automatically be charged after the opt-out date.”

Courses enrolled in the Instant Access program are automatically billed after the opt-out deadline. Students who wish to maintain their access to digital course materials at the Instant Access price do not need to do anything. After the opt-out deadline, The Cornell Store will simply bill the cost of the materials to your bursar account. Students who wish to opt-out may do so by the opt-out deadline to avoid this bursar charge for participating in Instant Access.

Once Canvas is open for the semester, you will have access to your course materials automatically. In your course in Canvas, there will be a link on the left side called “Instant Access - Vitalsource.” Click on that link to go to the page for your course materials, and follow the instructions on that page. Your bursar account will be billed for the digital materials after the opt-out period, unless you opt out. See “What does opt out mean” below.

You will have access to your ebook and digital course materials once your Canvas course opens for the semester.

The Instant Access program at Cornell automatically provides you with your ebooks or digital course materials through a link in Canvas, and is optional to participate. If you do not want to keep the digital course materials provided through Instant Access, you may choose to decline this service (opt-out) and purchase your materials in another way. You must opt-out by the posted opt-out deadline. After that date, your bursar account will be charged for the digital course materials unless you have chosen to opt-out. Keep in mind that it is still your responsibility to acquire any required course materials needed for a course.

To opt out, log into your Canvas course using Instant Access and select the Instant Access – Vitalsource tool in the left navigation panel. The digital item used in your course should be displayed on your screen. Select the opt-out button to complete the opt-out process. If you require assistance with the opt-out process, please contact us instantaccess@cornell.edu.

Yes! If it is before the opt-out date, you can opt back in by going to the cornellstore.vitalsource.com site again. If it is after the deadline, email instantaccess@cornell.edu. Include your NetID, Course (e.g. ‘BIOG 1440’), and section number and let us know you would like to opt back in.

If you drop the course before the opt-out deadline, you will automatically be opted out, and you will not be billed. If you drop the course after the deadline, you will be refunded if charges have posted to your bursar account for the cost of the materials.

For help with publisher online content, please contact the publisher’s online help team:

Vitalsource: https://support.vitalsource.com/hc/en-us/requests/new

Cengage (MindTap or Aplia): https://www.cengage.com/help-center/
Elsevier (Evolve): https://evolve.elsevier.com/education/contact-us/

Macmillan (Sapling or Launchpad): https://macmillan.force.com/macmillanlearning/s/

McGraw-Hill (Connect): http://www.mhhe.com/support

Pearson (MyLabs or Mastering): https://support.pearson.com/getsupport/s/contactsupport

Wiley (WileyPlus): https://www.wiley.com/en-us/education/wileyplus/

 

Still Need Help?

Please contact the customer care team at www.cornellstore.com/contact-us.