It’s been a long time since there has been reporting on activity at Queens College. What you really need to know is that our sports teams are still doing exceptionally well, the theatre/arts department is killing it with top-notch productions; however, big changes are coming to QC as of April 1.
QC is losing a friend by the name of Student Union Bookstore. That’s right, come April 1, Queens College is becoming the forth CUNY campus behind John Jay, CUNY Law, and Medger Evers to go fully digital. The closing of the bookstore, a campus hallmark stocked with everything from school supplies, to apparel, to provisions, comes as surprising to many who depend on the store to get by during the semester.
Due to the expiration of the contract between Queens College and provider Follett, the store will be closing its doors. The contract between QC and the long-time provider ended in December; the new contract went for bid and was picked up by a new, fully digital provider called Akademos. While there is benefit to the digitization of the bookstore, mainly hinging on the idea that some students prefer online reading sources and that supposedly supplies will now be cheaper, there is cost to the switch.
A number of students are wary of the claims of price improvement, detest the lesser convenient online store platform, and remain indebted with loyalty to paperbacks, which we presumably will need to buy off of Amazon or Chegg come the Fall 2016 semester. QC students who dorm must now find a new place to replenish their notebooks, metrocards, and ramen stashes. Additionally, student employees of the bookstore will lose their jobs because of the closure, now forced to find other means of employment. They say change is good, but the jury is still out on this one.
From one Queens provider of reading material to another: Good luck, Akademos.
Just to clear up a few misconceptions, please note that Akademos, the new online bookstore vendor will sell and rent all types of textbooks – paper, hardcover, paperback, digital, etc. Their products are in no way limited to books in digital format. Akademos will sell other types of course materials, so all students, not just those who live on campus, will not go wanting. Furthermore, QC is planning on opening a Campus Store in the fall, which will sell QC branded merchandise, Metro Cards, and other sundry items. Finally, student employment is available all over campus. Any student who loses his/her job in the Follett bookstore should be able to find employment elsewhere on campus.