Baker University bookstore undergoes new changes
Baker’s book store located in the Union is undergoing changes. It will reopen in July under sole management from the University.
For the 2022-2023 school year and beyond, the Baker University bookstore will look a little different from years past. Gone with the textbooks, the on-ground store will only sell merchandise and all textbooks will be purchased online.
Associate Vice-President of Capital Planning, Facilities and Emergency Management, Scott George has been overseeing this new change and says it has been in the works for a while now.
“The traditional Campus Bookstore has been evolving for the past several years across the country as a result of digital texts and the availability to purchase textbooks online,” George said.
Scott adds that moving the textbooks online only is in the best interest of the students and the store. Only 20 percent of students in the last three years have purchased textbooks at the on-ground store.
The company, Follett, which currently runs the bookstore, will now only be in charge of overseeing the purchase of online textbooks.
“Students will have the option to order their books directly from Follett or they can see what books are required, then purchase from another source. Ultimately, we want the student to have options that help them reduce costs for class materials,” George said.
Students will be able to order textbooks and have them shipped either to their homes or to the campus mailroom.
With these new changes, comes new ownership of the bookstore. Baker will now own the bookstore and all profits will stay within the budget of the University.
New ownership will allow for more flexibility when it comes to merchandise and designs. As well as expanding the merchandise to include other sports and organizations.
As of now, George is still looking to hire a Store Manager for the new bookstore, and soon students will be hired to work the store as well for this fall.
The online website to buy textbooks is currently open and will stay the same.
According to George, the physical bookstore will open mid to late July with some merchandise but will be fully stocked and ready to go by the end of that month.
Kolbie Christensen is a senior mass media major and is the Editor-in-Chief for The Baker Orange. This is her fourth year on staff. She is a member of Alpha...
