The Colby Echo

Issue date: 4/9/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Thomas Bollier Newly constructed bookstore will open for student use in the fall.

While students have been able to enjoy Cotter Union this year largely unimpeded by construction, the final element of the Union expansion project is yet to be complete-the new bookstore.

Additional construction has occurred throughout this school year on the east side of the building, facing the Diamond Building, on a 9,000-square-foot wing to house the College bookstore. This $4.25 million project had been approved by trustees in January 2007 and is expected to be ready for shipping, receiving and storage of items by July. Opening festivities are anticipated when students return in the fall.

The bookstore will move from its current location in Roberts Union. Long-term plans for Roberts include a transformation into dormitory space (after relocation of the Psychology Department and Office of Security). However, next year, the first floor of Roberts will probably be used as space for conferences and meetings.

The Echo was treated to a tour of the new bookstore with Bookstore Director Barbara Shutt. The new bookstore is approximately the same size as the current one, but will "hopefully be used more efficiently," according to Shutt. The structure, as Shutt points out, is "totally new and built into an already existing, pretty complicated space [Cotter Union]." The bookstore is two floors and makes use of natural light from large windows and doors.

The first floor, on what is now the ground floor of Cotter Union, will have an entrance next to that of Page Commons. It will hold much of what the front room in the current bookstore encompasses, such as clothing, books (excluding textbooks) and the "Colby Corner," with its "spirit" section (glassware, etc.) targeted at older alumni. This floor will also feature two reading spaces, featuring comfortable seating near large windows overlooking the Dana lawn. Furthermore, students will be able to purchase snacks and make use of a computer station to look up textbooks for classes. Shutt anticipates that the bookstore's location near the Spa and Freshens Café will not impact food sales. "We'll adjust to whatever students are looking for," she said.

The downstairs floor will be used similarly to the back room of the current bookstore. Students will be able to find school supplies and textbooks there, and it will also feature an additional reading space. This floor is especially equipped to handle the book "rush" at the beginning of each semester. Shutt said that the bookstore will able to use more registers placed temporarily downstairs to accommodate rush, as well as open a set of downstairs doors, normally to be kept closed, to ease traffic. Furthermore, the textbook shelving system will be able to expand during rush periods. The downstairs floor will also have storage space and offices for bookstore employees.

Shutt said that the College hired a designer specifically experienced with bookstore design for the store's interior. Staff were able to provide input to the design.

The bookstore will make its move to this more central location over the summer, using help from a crew hired using a temporary budget. While opening festivities are still being kept secret, Shutt promises that they will be big. "It's going to be beautiful," Shutt said. "We're going to have a lot of great new products and great new stuff for the fall."

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