Bookstore to get an upgrade
Amber Walters
Issue date: 2/1/10 Section: Campus
|
Recently, Barnes and Noble announced renovations to the bookstore which will make the space more study friendly, and will include expansions to many sections of the store. The renovations are scheduled to start the week of Feb. 22 and will take about three weeks, during which the store will be open.
The biggest part of the renovation will include a larger general reading and academic reference department, which will include a study space, complete with lounge and study seating, along with coffee and study tables, with the aim to “encourage people to relax while browsing,” according to the press release.
In addition to the renovations, Barnes and Noble will be donating $15,000 in the form of book scholarships to benefit students. Previously, the book scholarship amounted to $5,000 and only benefited nursing students, but now will be available to students in the Invest in Your Success program, as well as students who are unable to pay for the books by themselves.
“The renovation is focused on providing more services to our campus community, but even more significantly is the gift of scholarship dollars to our students. We are grateful for the investment in both our place and our people,” Chancellor Ruth Person said.
A Starbucks self-serve coffee bar is planned for the expanded market place section. According to Theresa Landis, director of auxiliary and recreational services, there is certain criteria for the amount of foot traffic before a full service Starbucks can be installed.
Three different floor plans are proposed for the store, one for day-to-day operation and two others for peak times throughout the school year. The plans for rush at the beginning of a semester include an extra row of cash registers, and for the busy end of a semester the newly added online book reservation pick up window will be converted to a textbook buy back station.
“The renovations will not only improve the appearance of the bookstore, but it will improve service to our students,” Landis said.
The store front is also being redesigned to include a display window and the entrance will open to a large main aisle, around which the rest of the store will be organized.
Additionally, Barnes and Noble’s design team is working with a campus archivist to create murals of photos and images aiming to reflect the rich history of the University.
The plans also include a more accessible information desk and specific sections dedicated to works by faculty authors and local topics.
The grand re-opening of the store is planned for April 1 and details will be announced at a later date.
Amber can be reached at amwalter@umflint.edu.
Be the first to comment on this story