2008 Woodie Awards
The Book Nook offers a positive business model for USA
STAFF EDITORIAL
Issue date: 10/8/07 Section: Opinion
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A TRIP TO the Book Nook, the used bookstore on the campus of Spring Hill College run by a group called the Friends of the Spring Hill College Library, is likely to endear even the most lackadaisical readers. Their bookstore offers a variety of books on topics ranging from mystery novels to cook books to biographies. These books are donated by the general public and sold for mere pennies (some paperbacks cost only 50 cents, while most hardbound books run between one to three dollars). The bookstore uses the proceeds to further the mission of the Friends, who volunteer their time organizing library events and literary groups. Some members of the group play a more active role in the literary community; some even write their own novels or poetry.
At the University of South Alabama, there is no such service to the community or the campus. At USA, we have a campus bookstore which employs student workers to sell textbooks and very few other books. The stated mission of our bookstore is "to promote the educational and economic welfare of students, faculty and staff of the University of South Alabama."
While access to textbooks is arguably the most important function a campus bookstore can fill, our bookstore sells these books at extravagant prices; sometimes the cost of buying textbooks can even overshadow the cost of attending the University for a semester! However, since the books are bought from publishing companies like W.W. Norton & Company, their prices will naturally be high.
The functions a used bookstore on campus can serve are many: It will increase employment on campus; the books sold should be donations from the general public in order to get rid of the cost of ordering these books, thus lowering their prices as well. This way, we can charge lower prices for used books without having to give proceeds to publishing companies. Where Spring Hill College has succeeded, so can USA.
At the University of South Alabama, there is no such service to the community or the campus. At USA, we have a campus bookstore which employs student workers to sell textbooks and very few other books. The stated mission of our bookstore is "to promote the educational and economic welfare of students, faculty and staff of the University of South Alabama."
While access to textbooks is arguably the most important function a campus bookstore can fill, our bookstore sells these books at extravagant prices; sometimes the cost of buying textbooks can even overshadow the cost of attending the University for a semester! However, since the books are bought from publishing companies like W.W. Norton & Company, their prices will naturally be high.
The functions a used bookstore on campus can serve are many: It will increase employment on campus; the books sold should be donations from the general public in order to get rid of the cost of ordering these books, thus lowering their prices as well. This way, we can charge lower prices for used books without having to give proceeds to publishing companies. Where Spring Hill College has succeeded, so can USA.
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