Barnes & Noble Education operates physical and virtual bookstores on college and university campuses and K-12 institutions across the United States, serving as one of the largest contract operators in this space. The company generates revenue through the sale of course materials (textbooks, both new and used, as well as rental and digital options), general merchandise (apparel, gifts, supplies, and café items), and services including textbook rental programs, point-of-sale software, and inventory management for educational institutions. The company earns money primarily through product sales and rental income, operating under multi-year management agreements with schools, and has developed proprietary affordable access programs that bundle physical and digital course materials for institutions and individual faculty adoption.