Discovering the Literary Treasures of the University of Denver Bookstore

The University of Denver (DU) is home to not one, but two distinct bookstore experiences. While the official University of Denver Bookstore is a well-known establishment on campus, where students flock at the start of each quarter for assigned textbooks and DU merchandise, a hidden gem exists within the historic Mary Reed building: The Book Stack. This article delves into the unique offerings and history of both bookstores, providing a comprehensive overview for the DU community and beyond.

Barnes & Noble College Takes the Helm

In a move to enhance the bookstore experience, the University of Denver transitioned its bookstore management from Follett to Barnes & Noble College. The transition, which commenced in late June and concluded in early July, signaled a new chapter for the campus bookstore.

Barnes & Noble College is committed to improving the bookstore's offerings, with plans for tighter integration with curricular needs, a larger course materials catalog, and enhanced spirit and apparel lines. The bookstore environment will also be refreshed to encourage community and social interaction in an upscale retail setting.

The University expressed its enthusiasm for partnering with Barnes & Noble College, citing their dedication to the DU brand and student experience. The decision to transition to Barnes & Noble College followed a robust Request for Proposal (RFP) process involving a committee of representatives from the University community.

The Book Stack: A Literary Sanctuary

Tucked away on the main floor of Mary Reed Hall, The Book Stack is a volunteer-run bookstore boasting approximately 35,000 new, used, and rare books spanning over 90 subjects. Browsing the many rows of stacks almost always yields an interesting find. What sets The Book Stack apart is its affordability, with each book modestly priced between one to four dollars. All proceeds benefit the DU libraries, making it a haven for book lovers and a supporter of academic resources.

This little bookstore is more than just a place to buy cheap books; it's a remnant of DU’s original library, Mary Reed Hall, and the association that helped DU libraries thrive over the years.

A Legacy of Support: The Women's Library Association

The Book Stack's origins are deeply rooted in the history of DU's libraries. In 1956, 25 years after the completion of Mary Reed Hall, DU faced financial constraints that hindered its ability to maintain a vibrant library. To address this need, a group of women formed The Women’s Library Association (WLA).

Marion Hurwitz, the first Executive Chairman of the WLA, articulated the association's mission, emphasizing that since Mary Reed Library was built with the financial assistance of a woman (Mary Reed), it was the responsibility of women to assist in its maintenance. The WLA played a crucial role in supporting DU libraries for many years.

By 1970, Mary Reed Library could no longer accommodate the growing collection of books, study spaces, and storage needs. The library moved to Penrose Library. However, many unused, donated books remained in storage in Mary Reed Hall.

In 1996, DU recognized the WLA's dedication to furthering knowledge in the DU community by awarding them a room in Mary Reed to sell these books to the public. Originally called the Book Room, it hosted two major sales each year and mini-sales at various times.

Read also: History of the Block 'M'

Exploring The Book Stack

Lane Hart, one of the volunteers at The Book Stack, provided a tour of the stacks. In addition to the room open to the public, there are three floors in total, consisting of mostly empty stacks that date back to Mary Reed’s library days, as well as a back room where donations are sorted.

Despite its convenience on campus and affordability, many DU students are unaware of the bookstore’s existence. This is partly due to the fact that it only recently reopened, in the summer of 2022, after two years of closure due to COVID-19.

Barnes & Noble College: Enhancing the Bookstore Experience

The transition to Barnes & Noble College aims to elevate the bookstore experience for the DU community. Barnes & Noble College plans to improve the bookstore's offerings, including tighter integration with curricular needs, a larger course materials catalog, and enhanced spirit and apparel lines. Additionally, the bookstore’s environment will be refreshed to encourage community and social interaction in an upscale retail setting.

Barnes & Noble College: Data Privacy and Practices

Barnes & Noble College, like its parent company BNED, collects, uses, and discloses personal information through various channels, including online platforms, in-store interactions, customer service channels, and other online and offline interactions. This information is used to provide and improve services, personalize the customer experience, and for marketing and advertising purposes.

Information Collection

Barnes & Noble College collects several types of information, including:

Read also: Legacy of Fordham University

Information You Provide: This includes information provided during registration (optional), such as name, email address, and other contact details. It's important to maintain the confidentiality of your access information and to log out of your account when using a public computer.
Information Collected Automatically: This includes data collected through tracking technologies like cookies, web beacons, and other similar technologies. This data may include browsing history, IP address, device information, and usage patterns.
Information From External Sources: Barnes & Noble College may also collect personal information from external sources, including friends, vendors, customers, educational institutions, advertising networks, publicly available information, and affiliates.

How Information is Used

The information collected is used for various purposes, including:

Providing and improving services
Personalizing the customer experience
Marketing and advertising
Analytics and performance monitoring
Security and safety

Information Disclosure

Barnes & Noble College may disclose personal information to various parties, including:

Vendors: Third-party service providers who assist with various aspects of the business, such as payment processing, data analytics, and marketing.
Institutions: Educational institutions with which Barnes & Noble College partners.
Government and law enforcement authorities: When required by law or to protect the rights, property, or safety of BNED, its users, or others.

Tracking Technologies and Advertising

Barnes & Noble College and its vendors use tracking technologies to collect information about your browsing activity and interests. This information is used to serve targeted ads on the Services and on external services. You can opt out of interest-based advertising through various methods, including browser settings, self-regulatory advertising organizations, and mobile device settings.

User-Generated Content

The Services may allow you to post or submit user-generated content (UGC), including written content, user profiles, audio or visual recordings, and other content. If you choose to submit UGC to any public area of the Services, your UGC will be considered “public” and will be accessible by anyone, including BNED.

Children's Privacy

The Services are not intended for children under the age of 16, and Barnes & Noble College does not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 16.

Data Security

Barnes & Noble College takes steps to help protect your personal information. They maintain appropriate administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to help protect personal information collected or received through their Services. Additionally, they limit access to personal information to employees and authorized parties who need to access that information to operate, develop, or improve their Services.

California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)

The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) provides California residents with certain rights regarding their personal information. These rights include the right to know what personal information is being collected, the right to delete personal information, the right to opt-out of the sale of personal information, and the right to non-discrimination.

Other Privacy Laws

Barnes & Noble College complies with other applicable privacy laws, including those relating to targeted advertising and profiling.

tags: #university #of #denver #bookstore