Perhaps the most exciting thing about the new Fairfield University bookstore will be the element of surprise.
On July 6th, 2011 Fairfield University made a press release discussing plans for the new University-affiliated store and cafe with details about some of its expected merchandise and amenities. Many questions remain, however, about how the plan will come to fruition by early next month.
The planning for the store is being coordinated by University officials and Follett Higher Education Group, a cooperation responsible for the management of 930 bookstores nationwide.
The University bookstore in the BCC, which has been run by Follett for almost 50 years, will remain at its current location, yet it is not clear if it will continue to stock the same items as it does now. A future of coffee, lectures, events, and expanded item variety is promised at the Post Road location, while a vague, minimized existence for the BCC store is all that is suggested from the University press release.
No oversight of or contribution to the expansion has yet been done by the current on-campus bookstore staff. Also, there has been no indication of whether or not any of the on-campus bookstore staff, many of which are Fairfield U. students, will be relocated to the new Post Road location.
Thomas Shea ‘14 said, “As an employee of the bookstore, I wouldn’t want to move down. I don’t have a car, and having to rely on the bus to take me to work on time doesn’t see worth it.”
Certain to move off-campus are the thousands of textbooks required for classes at Fairfield- a detail that Barbara Farell, Manager of the BCC University Bookstore, knows will have a visible impact on her place of work.
“All the students come here to get their textbooks. It’s so convenient for everybody,” Farell said. “Now they’re moving the textbooks downtown. So yes, it’s an all new adventure and we’ll see how it rolls out.”
An e-mail sent to the university community from President Jeffrey P. von Arx S.J. did make clear that the new store will in part be established with the intentions of bringing a greater University presence to the Fairfield community.
First Selectman of Fairfield, Michael Tetreau, said about the plan, “I’m thrilled about the University coming to downtown Fairfield and the strengthening of our bond.”
The off-campus goals and benefits have been highlighted while the on-campus outcomes are still yet to be known.
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