The UCA Bookstore

Day One Access help

Having trouble getting into your course materials? Answer a couple of quick questions and we'll get you sorted.

First question

What's going on?

Pick the option that sounds the most like your situation.

Next question

What kind of materials does your class use?

Not sure? Pick "I'm not sure" at the bottom and we'll help you figure it out.

Digital textbook (eBook)

Find the Day One Access link in Brightspace

  1. Log into Brightspace and open your course.
  2. Go to the Content area of the course. The link is NOT on the main menu, you'll find it inside Content, in a tab called Day One Access.
  3. Click Open Link, then click Read Now to open your eBook.
Where to find the Day One Access link in the Content area of Brightspace
The link won't open, or you see a blank screen or cookie error?
This is almost always a browser setting. Follow the quick fix here: Browser troubleshooting guide. If you're on Safari or your phone, try Chrome on a computer if you can.

Did that get you in?

MyLab or Mastering

Launch it from the Day One Access link

  1. Log into Brightspace and open your course.
  2. Go to the Content area and find the Day One Access tab. The link is not on the main menu.
  3. Click Open Link, then click Launch Courseware.
  4. If it's your first time, you'll be asked to create a Pearson account or sign in. If you've used MyLab or Mastering before, use that same login.
Where to find the Day One Access link in the Content area of Brightspace
Already paid for this MyLab in a previous semester?
If you're retaking the class and you still have access from before, you may not need to pay again. Email us at the address on the next screen and we'll help you sort it out before the opt-out deadline.

Did that get you in?

MindTap, Connect, and other homework systems

Look for your professor's link inside the course

For MindTap, Connect, Sage, Achieve, and similar systems, your professor places the link directly inside your Brightspace course, usually in a module or weekly folder, not in the Day One Access tab.

  1. Log into Brightspace and open your course.
  2. Look through the course content and modules for a link with the system's name (MindTap, Connect, etc.) or your textbook's name.
  3. Click that link. If it's your first time, you'll be asked to create a publisher account or sign in.
  4. If you can't find a link anywhere in the course, your professor may not have added it yet. Reach out to your professor first.
Still stuck after checking with your professor?
Email us using the button on the next screen and we'll help.

Did that get you in?

Printed book pickup

Come pick it up at the bookstore

A few courses (like BIOL 1400, BIOL 1440, and HIST 2301) include a printed book with your Day One Access. You pick it up at The UCA Bookstore.

  1. Bring your student ID to the bookstore counter.
  2. Let us know which class you're in, and we'll get your book to you.
  3. If you got an email saying your book is "ready for pickup," even better, just bring that and your ID.
Not sure if your class includes a printed book?
Check your "Important Information About Your Course Materials" email, or just stop by and ask. We're happy to check for you.

Does that answer your question?

Let's start with the basics

Most materials are behind one link

For most classes, everything starts in the same place. Try this first:

  1. Log into Brightspace and open your course.
  2. Go to the Content area and look for a tab called Day One Access. It's not on the main menu, it's inside Content.
  3. Click Open Link. From there you'll either click Read Now (for an eBook) or Launch Courseware (for a homework system like MyLab).
Where to find the Day One Access link in the Content area of Brightspace
Don't see a Day One Access tab at all?
Some classes (MindTap, Connect) put the link inside a module instead. Look through your course folders for a link with your textbook or homework system's name. If you're charged but can't find anything, email us on the next screen and we'll point you to the right spot.

Also check your email for a message titled "Important Information About Your Course Materials (Day One Access)". It has your access details and any codes you might need.

Did that get you in?

"Uh Oh, Your Launch Was Unsuccessful"

This one has a known fix

Good news, this is a common error and there's a quick fix on our website. It's usually a browser or cache issue, not something wrong with your account.

  1. Open the fix page: Uh Oh launch error troubleshooting
  2. Follow the steps on that page exactly.
  3. Go back to Brightspace, open your course, and try the Day One Access link again.

Did that get you in?

About your charge

How Day One Access billing works

With Day One Access, the cost of your required digital materials is added to your UCA student account as a course charge. This usually saves you money compared to buying separately, and your materials are ready on the first day of class.

A few common questions:

  1. Why did this show up after classes started? If you added the class late, the charge posts when your section is activated, not on the first day of the term.
  2. I dropped the class. If you dropped within the refund window, your charge should be refunded. If it hasn't updated after a few days, email us.
  3. I don't want to be charged. You can opt out before the deadline. Use the back button and choose "I want to opt out."
Still have a billing question?
Email us on the next screen with your name and the class in question, and we'll take a look.

Does that answer your question?

Opting out

You can opt out on our website

If you'd rather not participate in Day One Access for a class, you can opt out before the deadline. Just keep in mind you'll then be responsible for getting your own materials.

  1. Go to the opt-out page: theucabookstore.com/pages/day-one-access-opt-out
  2. Click the opt-out button and fill out the short form.
  3. The deadline is listed on that page and depends on your term length, so check it before you decide.
Retaking a class and already own the materials?
You may be able to opt out and keep using what you already have. Email us on the next screen and we'll help before the deadline.

Does that answer your question?

All set

Awesome, glad you're in!

If anything else comes up with your course materials, come back anytime or reach out to the bookstore. Have a great semester!

We're here to help

Send us a quick email

Sorry that didn't do the trick! Email the bookstore and we'll get you taken care of. To help us help you faster, include the details below.

Email the UCA Bookstore
Please include your full name, student ID, the class you're having trouble with, and a screenshot of what you're seeing (including any error message).
Question one

Who is reporting the issue?

This helps narrow down what kind of problem we are dealing with.

Question two

What is the student's problem?

Pick the closest match. We will dig deeper in the next step.

Question two

What is the faculty issue?

Pick the closest match.

Question two

What is UCA reporting?

Issues from Student Accounts or IT typically fall into these buckets.

Question three

What type of material is it?

Check Verba to confirm what is paired with the course.

Question three

What is the billing issue?

Pick the closest match.

Opt-out path

Send them to the opt-out form

Students opt out themselves through the bookstore website. We do not opt students out by phone or email except in rare cases.

  1. Direct the student to theucabookstore.com/pages/day-one-access-opt-out and tell them to click the red button and fill out the form.
  2. Confirm they meet the deadline for their term length (see table below). After the deadline they cannot opt out.
  3. Once submitted, the refund processes on our side automatically and transmits to UCA Student Accounts in the next daily file.
  4. If the student already submitted but says nothing changed, check POS to confirm the refund posted. If yes, the daily file just has not run yet. If no, escalate to TJ.
Term lengthOpt-out deadline
May IntersessionWithin first few days of term
Summer I (5-week)~May 15
10-week summerJune 5
Summer II (5-week)Around mid-July
Fall / Spring (16-week)~2 weeks after term start

Edge case: Senior citizens auditing classes (not paying tuition) can opt out using the same form. They do not get a separate process.

Did this solve the problem?

Retake or prior access

Opt out, then publisher reissues code

Students retaking a class who already have a perpetual access code from a previous semester do not need to pay again. The path:

  1. Have the student opt out through the form at theucabookstore.com/pages/day-one-access-opt-out.
  2. For MyLab classes (most common case at UCA Math), TJ can request the access code from Julie Nikel-Butler at Pearson. The student gets a new code to enter on the relevant screen.
  3. For McGraw-Hill courseware (Connect), access typically lasts two semesters automatically. If the original purchase was August 2025 or later, they may still have valid access without needing anything new. Have them try the link first.
  4. For other publishers, escalate to TJ to coordinate with the rep.

Why this matters: Without opting out, the student gets double-charged for materials they already own.

Did this solve the problem?

Ebook access (Brightspace)

Day One Access link in the Content area

The link is titled "Day One Access" and lives inside the course Content area in Brightspace. It is NOT on the default menu, only inside the Content page of the course itself. From there, students click "Read Now" to open the eBook in VitalSource.

  1. Ask the student for a screenshot of the course content area, plus the course code and section.
  2. Confirm the course is on our Day One Access list. If not on our list, the student must purchase separately.
  3. If the link is missing entirely, it likely was not placed yet, or was placed but in the wrong content area, or was deleted. Email TJ with course details so VitalSource can replace it.
  4. If the link is visible but does not open, this is often a 3rd party cookies issue in the browser. Direct the student to theucabookstore.com/pages/safari-browser-troubleshooting for fix instructions.

Did this solve the problem?

Non-Pearson courseware (Cengage, McGraw, Sage, etc.)

Use the professor's link, not Day One Access

For Cengage MindTap, McGraw-Hill Connect, Sage Vantage, Macmillan Achieve, Norton, Stukent, and other non-Pearson courseware, the professor places the publisher link themselves inside Brightspace. The Day One Access link is NOT the right path for these.

  1. Confirm with the student that they are clicking the professor's courseware link inside the course content, NOT the Day One Access link.
  2. The professor's link will usually be labeled with the publisher name or the course material (MindTap, Connect, REVEL, Achieve, etc.) and is placed by the professor inside the relevant module or content area.
  3. First-time users will be prompted to create or sign in with a publisher account. Returning users sign in with the same credentials.
  4. If the link works but the content is wrong (wrong textbook, wrong edition, missing assignments), this is a publisher courseware issue. Collect course details and screenshot, then escalate to TJ.
  5. If the professor has not placed a link at all, the student should contact the professor directly. The bookstore cannot place these links.

Key distinction: "Link does not work" or "won't load" is usually the publisher platform. "I can't find a link" means the professor has not placed it yet.

Did this solve the problem?

Pearson MyLab or Mastering

Day One Access link, then Launch Courseware

Pearson is the exception to the publisher-places-the-link rule. MyLab and Mastering access at UCA flows through our Day One Access link.

  1. Student clicks the Day One Access link in the Content area of Brightspace.
  2. This takes them to VitalSource. From there, instead of "Read Now," they click "Launch Courseware".
  3. First-time users will be prompted to create or sign in with a Pearson account. Returning users sign in with the same credentials they used in past courses.
  4. If the link works but the content is wrong (wrong textbook, wrong assignments, MyLab not loading the course shell), this is a Pearson platform issue. Collect course details and screenshot, then escalate to TJ to coordinate with Julie Nikel-Butler.

Did this solve the problem?

Access code

Two delivery paths depending on publisher

Access codes come through one of two paths at UCA. Identify which publisher first to know where to look.

Path 1: Codes delivered through Day One Access

For Stukent, Packback, Elsevier, LinguaMeeting, Soomo, Skyepack, and Stock-Trak, the code is accessible inside the Day One Access link in Brightspace AND in the student's "Important Information About Your Course Materials (Day One Access)" email, typically sent May 1st.

  1. Have the student click the Day One Access link in the Content area of Brightspace. The code should be visible there.
  2. If they cannot see the link or the code, have them search their email inbox and spam folder for "Important Information About Your Course Materials" sent on May 1st.

Path 2: Codes sent separately by email

For ToucanEd codes and SOC 1300 (Sociology) access codes, the codes are sent separately, NOT through VitalSource. The bookstore sends these directly, typically the week before classes start.

  1. Have the student check their email inbox and spam folder for an email from The UCA Bookstore. These do not come from VitalSource.
  2. If they cannot find the email, confirm in Verba that they were charged for the course (and therefore should have been sent a code).
  3. If they were charged but did not receive a code, escalate to TJ to resend.

Note: If the student dropped the class and was refunded, their code access is revoked. If they want access back, they must repurchase.

Did this solve the problem?

Print book pickup

Check Web Order status, then hand over the book

A small number of UCA courses use print books through Day One Access: BIOL 1400, BIOL 1440, and HIST 2301. Students pick these up at the bookstore counter.

  1. Look up the student in our Web Order platform to find their order.
  2. Check whether the item is marked "Ready for Pick Up."
  3. If yes, hand the book over and complete the pickup normally.
  4. If no (or the order is not showing the right status), give the student the book anyway. Then email TJ with the student's full name, email address, and student ID so he can make sure the order is processed correctly on the back end.

Don't make the student wait: If they're enrolled in one of these courses and they're at the counter, they get their book. The status fix happens after the fact.

Did this solve the problem?

Drop refund

Verify drop date and trace refund

  1. Check the drop date against the term start date. If the student dropped during the refund window, they are entitled to a full refund.
  2. If the student dropped AFTER the class ended, they are NOT entitled to a refund.
  3. Check POS to confirm the refund was issued on our side.
  4. If POS shows the refund but the UCA student account does not, the daily file may not have run yet. Refunds processed on a given day transmit in the next morning's file.
  5. If more than 48 hours have passed and the refund still has not posted to the UCA account, send the transaction ID and date to Student Accounts (studentaccounts@uca.edu) with TJ on copy.

Did this solve the problem?

Charge timing

Cross-reference enrollment dates

UCA Day One Access charges go on student accounts after we transmit the daily file. The first batch usually goes out on or around May 1 for summer terms. Charges date to when the student was enrolled in the Day One section, not when the term started.

  1. Check the student's enrollment date for the affected class. Late-added students get charged when their section was activated, which may be after the term started.
  2. Confirm in Verba what date the charge was created and which course it is for.
  3. Explain to the student: the charge timing reflects when their course was activated for Day One Access, not when the term started. This is normal for late-added sections.
  4. If the student insists the charge appeared without explanation, give them the course code, professor name, and the Day One Access info so they can see why the charge was assessed.

Did this solve the problem?

Charge amount discrepancy

Compare Verba pricing to UCA account

  1. Pull the student's charges from Verba and compare to what is on their UCA Student Account.
  2. If Verba and UCA do not match, identify which one is wrong. Verba is our source of truth.
  3. If the issue is a duplicate charge, check whether there was an opt-out and re-enrollment, or a course swap.
  4. If the student has multiple Day One Access charges and only one looks wrong, focus on that specific course in Verba and confirm the priced item matches what was adopted.
  5. For amount discrepancies you cannot resolve, send the Verba transaction details to Student Accounts with TJ on copy.

Did this solve the problem?

Day One Access link missing

VitalSource places links, escalate to TJ

Faculty cannot place the Day One Access link themselves at UCA. VitalSource places them in the Content area as part of a scheduled run for each term. The link will be titled "Day One Access" inside the course Content area, NOT in the default menu.

  1. Get the course code, section, and CRN. Confirm it is on our Day One Access list for the current term.
  2. Check whether VitalSource has completed the link placement run for the term. TJ tracks this.
  3. If the placement has not run yet, tell the professor we are scheduled to place links on a specific date and they will appear automatically.
  4. If the placement has run but this specific course did not get a link, escalate to TJ with the course details. He will contact Kevin Landolt at VitalSource to investigate.
  5. If the link was placed and then deleted (rare but happens), TJ can have VitalSource replace it. Expect 24 to 48 hours.

Reminder: We are still working with UCA IT (Tonya McKinney) to add a single Day One Access link in the main Brightspace menu that shows materials for all classes. That is not fully functional yet.

Did this solve the problem?

Courseware not loading right content

Publisher fix, route to the rep

Courseware issues (wrong assignments, wrong textbook in MyLab, content not synced) are NOT bookstore fixes. The publisher rep has to remap the course on their platform side.

  1. Collect course code, section, CRN, professor name, the ISBN or product they expected, and what they are seeing instead. Screenshot is ideal.
  2. Do not try to fix in Verba. The Verba pairing may be correct while the publisher platform is misconfigured.
  3. Forward to TJ so he can engage the publisher rep directly.

Publisher reps for UCA:

Pearson: Julie Nikel-Butler Cengage: Kyle Wuest McGraw-Hill: Heather Coyss Macmillan: Cartie Pruitt Norton: D Winingham VitalSource: Kevin Landolt

Did this solve the problem?

eBook content bug

Escalate to TJ with examples

Bugs in the eBook itself (formatting errors, missing pages, equation rendering issues) are not VitalSource bugs. They are publisher production issues. VitalSource forwards the report to the publisher for correction.

  1. Get screenshots from the professor showing the bug. The more specific the better: section number, page number, comparison to the print version if possible.
  2. Get the exact ISBN of the eBook in question.
  3. Forward to TJ. He will submit the report through the VitalSource Customer Success team (Lorie Long and Kevin Landolt), who route it to the publisher's production team.
  4. Expect a multi-week timeline for content corrections. Updates publish through VitalSource when the publisher pushes them.

Past example: Discrete Math 8th edition (ISBN 9780134655093, Pearson) had homework numbering and equation formatting errors that Pearson production fixed after our report.

Did this solve the problem?

Syllabus or student communication wording

Standard syllabus paragraph

We recommend faculty include this paragraph in their syllabus. Per a recent student survey, most students read the syllabus but not our emails, so this placement matters.

This course participates in the Day One Access program. Your required digital course materials are available on the first day of class. The cost of these materials has been added to your student account as a course charge. This program saves you money on your required materials and ensures you are prepared for class on day one. More information can be found here: https://theucabookstore.com/pages/day-one-access

If you wish to opt-out of the program, you must do so by the deadline listed on the above website. To opt out, visit the webpage and look for the "opt out" link. You can also contact The UCA Bookstore directly at tmcdonald@theucabookstore.com.

For Brightspace references: Replace any old "Bb" or "Blackboard" wording with "Brightspace." Tell students to look for the Day One Access link inside the course Content area.

Did this solve the problem?

Individual student inquiry from UCA

Pull the record and respond directly

When Student Accounts (Jasmine) forwards a student inquiry to us, the student usually wants to know about a charge, refund, or opt-out option.

  1. Look up the student in Verba. Confirm what we charged or refunded, the date, and the transaction ID.
  2. Respond directly to the student with the bookstore's perspective, copying studentaccounts@uca.edu and ucabookstore@gmail.com.
  3. If they are past the opt-out deadline and want to be removed from the program, explain the deadline policy and offer the opt-out form for any classes still within their window.
  4. For retaking students, route them to the retake guidance (opt out, then publisher reissues code if needed).
  5. If our record matches their concern and they need a refund, process it through POS. The refund will transmit to UCA in the next daily file.

Did this solve the problem?

Late-added section

Activate in Verba and confirm with Sandra Ott

When UCA adds a new section to the schedule after our cutoff, the bookstore has to manually activate it for Day One Access if the professor wants it included.

  1. Confirm the section was actually added to the UCA course schedule and we received the updated course file.
  2. For Summer II additions, Sandra Ott (sott@uca.edu) typically approves the late add. Loop her in if you have not heard.
  3. Activate the section in Verba and confirm the materials are paired correctly.
  4. Add the section to the pricing Google sheet so it is tracked.
  5. Charges will transmit in the next daily file once the section is activated.

Reminder: Even after manual activation, VitalSource still needs to place the Brightspace link separately. Escalate to TJ to coordinate the link placement if the term has already started.

Did this solve the problem?

IT or integration issue

Escalate, this is above the bookstore

UCA IT integration issues (course file feeds, Brightspace link placement infrastructure, VitalSource OpenID Connect connection) are handled by TJ with UCA IT directly. The bookstore does not have access to fix these.

  1. Get the specifics: what file or system is having the issue, what error message UCA is seeing, and which contact at UCA reported it.
  2. Common contacts on UCA's side: Lee Stewart (lees@uca.edu) for course schedule files, Tonya McKinney (tmckinne@uca.edu) for Brightspace integration.
  3. Forward everything to TJ. He will coordinate with Ed Louton at Textbook Technologies and the relevant UCA IT contact.
  4. If the issue affects many students or instructors at once (e.g., no links anywhere in Brightspace, course file feed stopped), flag urgency in your escalation note.

Did this solve the problem?

Resolved

Great, thanks!

Glad we got the issue sorted out. Feel free to start a new troubleshoot for the next case.

Escalate to TJ

Send the details to TJ

Email with as much context as possible so he can pick up the issue without back-and-forth.

Helpful info to include

Student or faculty name, course code, section, and CRN, term, what you have already tried, screenshots of any error messages, and the transaction ID or date if billing-related.

Bookstore staff access

Enter PIN

This switches the tool to the staff troubleshooting view.