Sales of Textbooks Continues to Climb
By Jody Record, Campus Journal Editor
October 3, 2007
Carolyn Kirkpatrick photo
Since Barnes and Noble took over the management of the UNH bookstore,
textbook sales have increased significantly.
Addressing faculty concerns related to pricing and service are the two
biggest reasons for the change, says store manager Sarah Hutz.
“We’ve been working hard with faculty to clear up any issues
they might have had in the past,” Hutz says. “We’ve also
made great improvements in letting them know the status of their orders,
if something is out of stock—those kinds of things.”
Barnes and Noble has been managing the MUB-based store since 2001. At
that point, sales of text books were about 60 percent. In 2006, that number
had risen 12 percent with sales topping $3.35 million.
“In the past year, through many combined efforts, the percentage
of faculty course orders at the UNH Bookstore increased to 72 percent.
If we get that to 75 percent this year, Barnes and Noble will write a check
for use at the UNH Library for $100,000 the first year it occurs during
the contract term,” says Dave May, assistant vice-president of business
affairs.
Hutz says the store is now better prepared to know where books are in
the ordering cycle and that reordering services are “very fast.” What’s
more, they have streamlined the ordering process for faculty, which can
be done at the website.
Students can also order their books online.
When faculty members post their book lists, the bookstore puts them online
the same day. The students can check to see if the books they need are
in stock, how much they cost, and place their order all in one step.
“And we’ll box it up and have it ready when they come in,” Hutz
says. “It makes the lines a lot shorter. We’re trying to streamline
service for everyone.”
The bookstore is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.,
Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday s from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The hours are extended at the beginning and end of each semester and during
major campus events such as Parents’ Weekend and Home Coming.
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