AU's Campus Store has not seen a decline in sales despite the current economic crisis, according to Elio DiStaola, public and campus relations director for the Follett Higher Education Group.
The company manages more than 750 U.S. bookstores, including AU's Campus Store. It also offers used textbooks to nearly 2,000 independently run stores, according to the company's Web site.
"The [AU] bookstore, along with much of the retail world, is paying very close attention to the economic climate," DiStaola said in an e-mail. "At this point, we continue to see strong sales."
Other college bookstores and university presses have not been as lucky, according to a survey by the Association of American University Presses.
The survey showed 62 percent of university presses reported a drop in sales in the past six months, according to an article in the Chronicle of Higher Education.
"The entire publishing industry is really jittery right now," said Rodger Streitmatter, a School of Communication professor who has published multiple academic books. "Editors won't take on a project unless they're absolutely sure it has a guaranteed market - and a large market at that."
Editors are still looking for professors to publish books for popular courses that have large enrollments, but fewer university presses are interested in books targeted at smaller, specialized classes, Streitmatter said in an e-mail.
The current economic climate and the increasing popularity of online book venues, such as Amazon or eBay, create a challenge bookstores are attempting to overcome.
"It seems to me that the economic doldrums we're facing today combined with the emergence of the Internet in recent years is going to change how the textbook industry operates," Streitmatter said.
DiStaola said he is undaunted by the Internet's competition and is positive that the AU bookstore will continue to be competitive.
"The Web offers quick and easy shopping, the chief reason why the AU bookstore has both a physical and online presence," DiStaola said. "We welcome this competition, as it is not only great for AU students, but keeps us sharp in the services we provide."
Students get many advantages by ordering through the Campus Store, including Follett's large network of bookstores and the company's relationship with the university, DiStaola said.
Kristin Garrity, a sophomore in the School of International Service, said she does not think it is convenient to order books through the Campus Store.
Garrity, who buys her books through other services, said books are not often available at the Campus Store, especially for spring classes when there is less time to order books.
Katherine Barno, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences, said convenience is less important than price when she buys textbooks.
"The way I get my books, it almost makes sense to not have bookstores since you can get them straight from other people and it's cheaper to cut out the middleman," she said.
Barno said she orders her books from online sources because they are often cheaper and she can sell her books back for better prices online.
Justin Musumeci, a junior in the School of Communication, said he buys most of his textbooks outside of Follett because of cheaper prices. He said he would buy a book at the bookstore if it was at a significantly lower price, but otherwise tries to avoid it.
"I think that they [at the bookstore] overcharge what they sell there and take advantage of the fact that most students like the convenience of being able to go there," Musumeci said. "That's another reason why I try to buy online, because I disagree with their policies and operation."
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