Five months after a university advisory committee recommended that the
Brown Bookstore in Providence, R.I., remain institutionally operated
and not outsource operations to a national retailer, the store is
nonetheless poised for change.
The most significant of those changes is the departure of Larry Carr, director of bookstore and services, who will be leaving at the end of the year. A replacement has yet to be named. "Leaving Brown is difficult," said Carr, who has been with the university for 18 years. "I have a strong affection for the people I work with and the community we serve. However, change can be good both for an organization and for oneself."
More change is coming in the wake of the committee's decision for the bookstore to remain independent, which was due in large part to the efforts of the student-led Save the Bookstore Coalition. "It was pretty amazing," Carr commented. "I know a lot of my colleagues in the industry were very impressed by the response we got, to have that level of student support." Since the announcement was made in early May, the reaction from the university community as well as from the public "has been positive," Carr said. "Now it's a matter of figuring out how to take the next steps."
These next steps include improving all areas of the Brown Bookstore, which includes a textbook department, a campus shop, a computer store and a general books division. Although some modifications have already been made, among them extended evening hours to accommodate after-work shoppers, large-scale alterations will be put into effect by a new director. Until then, "we're in a bit of a holding pattern right," said Tova Beiser, trade book and promotions manager. Another issue is "working out the renovation plan," noted Carr. The changes to the bookstore are just one area in which the university is making improvements, which also include the nearly completed construction of a new Life Sciences building.
In addition to its own initiatives, the university is working with the recently-formed Thayer Street Management Authority to revitalize the urban retail district in which the campus is located. "Everybody wants to improve the store, to have it be an anchor for Thayer Street," Carr said. Increasing general books sales is a primary objective, a challenge the university advisory committee addressed by talking to Harvard Book Store and other booksellers.
The basic goal of the bookstore is to serve two groups of customers: the university and the general public. "It's exciting. It's interesting. It's fun," said Beiser. "It's nice to be able to serve the larger community as well as the Brown community. Our community support was a big factor with where we are and where we've always been."--Shannon McKenna
The most significant of those changes is the departure of Larry Carr, director of bookstore and services, who will be leaving at the end of the year. A replacement has yet to be named. "Leaving Brown is difficult," said Carr, who has been with the university for 18 years. "I have a strong affection for the people I work with and the community we serve. However, change can be good both for an organization and for oneself."
More change is coming in the wake of the committee's decision for the bookstore to remain independent, which was due in large part to the efforts of the student-led Save the Bookstore Coalition. "It was pretty amazing," Carr commented. "I know a lot of my colleagues in the industry were very impressed by the response we got, to have that level of student support." Since the announcement was made in early May, the reaction from the university community as well as from the public "has been positive," Carr said. "Now it's a matter of figuring out how to take the next steps."
These next steps include improving all areas of the Brown Bookstore, which includes a textbook department, a campus shop, a computer store and a general books division. Although some modifications have already been made, among them extended evening hours to accommodate after-work shoppers, large-scale alterations will be put into effect by a new director. Until then, "we're in a bit of a holding pattern right," said Tova Beiser, trade book and promotions manager. Another issue is "working out the renovation plan," noted Carr. The changes to the bookstore are just one area in which the university is making improvements, which also include the nearly completed construction of a new Life Sciences building.
In addition to its own initiatives, the university is working with the recently-formed Thayer Street Management Authority to revitalize the urban retail district in which the campus is located. "Everybody wants to improve the store, to have it be an anchor for Thayer Street," Carr said. Increasing general books sales is a primary objective, a challenge the university advisory committee addressed by talking to Harvard Book Store and other booksellers.
The basic goal of the bookstore is to serve two groups of customers: the university and the general public. "It's exciting. It's interesting. It's fun," said Beiser. "It's nice to be able to serve the larger community as well as the Brown community. Our community support was a big factor with where we are and where we've always been."--Shannon McKenna