Retailer bringing cost-saving options and expanded services to Kent State students and faculty
Kent State University has named Barnes & Noble College as the new operator of the Kent State University Bookstore at its eight campuses. The existing bookstore staff will stay on and transition to new management, which took effect May 18 for the Kent and Trumbull campuses and will take effect July 6 for all remaining campuses.
The Kent State Ashtabula Bookstore will be closed June 17 through July 5 for yearly inventory and to transition to the new Barnes & Noble College Store.
“Kent State University is very excited to partner with Barnes & Noble College,” said Greg Jarvie, Kent State’s vice president for enrollment management and student affairs. “Its national reputation for customer service and its overall knowledge of the college bookstore market bring an unbeatable combination to all of our campuses.”
Barnes & Noble College is recognized for its ability to bring innovative programs and solutions to college and university campuses. The selection of Barnes & Noble College will allow the bookstores to offer a variety of affordable choices for course materials, including a robust in-store and online rental textbook program, an extensive selection of used and new books, as well as digital content through its new Yuzu™ digital platform.
In addition to a variety of cost-saving textbook options, Kent State students will enjoy campus bookstores that reflect the university’s brand, including an expanded selection of Kent State Golden Flashes logo apparel, snacks and beverages, art supplies, laptops and other technology products, an Apple technology department on the Kent Campus, as well as gifts for alumni, friends and family. The bookstores also will carry school supplies and other educational materials. The assortments of merchandise may vary depending on campus.
Barnes & Noble College will manage Kent State’s online bookstore website, delivering an innovative, customized shopping experience and giving students, faculty and alumni the choice and convenience to shop in-store or online.
Kent State faculty also will gain access to a groundbreaking online community called FacultyEnlight (www.facultyenlight.com), a streamlined textbook adoption platform that combines advanced search capabilities with detailed information on course material formats, pricing and reviews by other faculty.
Kent State is one of 24 higher education institutions that Barnes & Noble College partners with in the state of Ohio, including The Ohio State University, the University of Toledo and Case Western Reserve University. Barnes & Noble College operates more than 717 campus stores nationwide.
“We’re especially thrilled to partner with Kent State University — one of Ohio’s premier universities,” said Max J. Roberts, CEO of Barnes & Noble College. “We’re looking forward to delivering a retail and digital learning experience that supports its students and the entire Kent State community.”
For more information about Barnes & Noble College’s services and locations, visit www.bncollege.com. To learn more about Barnes & Noble College’s affordable textbook rental program, visit www.bnctextbookrental.com.
About Kent State University
Kent State University is Northeast Ohio’s leading public research university with more than 41,000 students. The university’s eight-campus system is among the largest regional systems in the country. Today, Kent State has become an engine for economic, cultural and workforce development – locally and internationally – as one of the premier Ohio universities. The university is ranked among the nation’s top 74 public high-research universities and among the top 76 in community engagement by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. For more information about Kent State, visit www.kent.edu.
About Barnes & Noble College
Based in Basking Ridge, N.J., Barnes & Noble College is the leading operator of college bookstores in the United States. Barnes & Noble College currently operates more than 717 of the finest campus bookstores, serving 5.2 million students and faculty members at colleges and universities nationwide, delivering students and faculty an unmatched retail and digital learning experience driven by innovation, deep student and faculty insights, and advanced technologies. To learn more, visit us at www.bncollege.com.
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Media Contacts:
Eric Mansfield, emansfie@kent.edu, 330-672-2797
Emily Vincent, evincen@kent.edu, 330-672-8595