LETTER: Bookstore does not appeal to children

To the editor:

The USU Bookstore has recently done some remodeling, including the complete obliteration of the children’s section. As a local alumni member who frequents the Bookstore specifically for its children’s section, I’m writing to express my extreme disappointment. I have spoken with a few of the bookstore staff who have informed me that people simply weren’t buying children’s books, so it wasn’t cost effective. I understand the need to make profit, but in this case I believe they need to take into consideration something beside the bottom line.

To the best of my knowledge, every other university in the state has a children’s section in their bookstore, and the ones I’ve seen personally, namely BYU and Weber State, put our children’s section to shame. When the university chooses to do away with one of the few child-friendly areas on campus, they make a very negative statement to students, faculty,and guests of the university who may have children.

As far as cost is concerned, consider taking a tour of another campus’s children’s section for pointers. Well-thought-out displays, carefully chosen book selections and reasonable prices would go a long way toward making USU’s children’s section more profitable and more welcoming to those of us with children.

Please bring back the children’s section. You do a disservice to the university and the community by replacing it with more T-shirts.

Emily Hepner