Big Changes at the Bookstore

Tucked into its cozy space on the lower level of Whitehead Campus Center, Haverford’s bookstore has been the prime spot for students, alums, and families to deck themselves in Haverford swag or to grab a quick snack or a few ibuprofen between classes. This summer, the bookstore underwent a facelift, introducing a wider array of Haverford-branded merchandise and a simplified book-purchasing process. 

As students enjoyed a much-deserved break, Lydia Whitelaw and John Rheiner, the bookstore’s manager and assistant manager, respectively, were hard at work envisioning the space as it reverts to a self-run operation. For the past four years, the bookstore has been managed by Barnes & Noble. It’s an arrangement many institutions of higher learning seek because of its cut-and-paste, streamlined operation, but Whitelaw says that’s not reflective of Haverford’s nature. 

“Because we are such a unique and charming campus, it’s important that the bookstore reflects that,” says Whitelaw. “Throughout the years that I’ve been here, students have said to me that the bookstore was among the reasons they chose to attend Haverford. It was the cherry on top of their decision, they’ve said, because they felt comfortable and seen here. That’s what I’m hoping to restore.” 

Under the store’s previous arrangement, Barnes & Noble was the sole decision maker regarding what merchandise would be featured in the store, and inventory would remain until it sold out. That often included incongruous options, like fishing gear. Now, Whitelaw says, she and Rheiner will have the flexibility to stock the store with the exact merchandise customers are looking for. Much of the feedback she’s received comes from the bookstore’s student workers, who Whitelaw says are fully vested in the store’s success. 

“We could tell them our school colors and how to spell Haverford, but that was about it,” Whitelaw says of the bookstore’s previous arrangement. “Moving forward, all of our merchandise, whatever we’re bringing in, we’ll have control over. We’ll be able to get what people are asking us for.”

Among the most requested items, Whitelaw says, are pennants. For years, she’s been fielding phone calls, emails, and requests from visitors for the felt manifestations of school spirit. 

The bookstore’s new level of flexibility will also allow it to meet customers at different price points, says Senior Director of Auxiliary and Administrative Services Mike Boyle. There will still be space for items from high-end retailers like Patagonia and Under Armor, but Boyle says, “We also want to be able to provide $25 to $30 Haverford sweatshirts to those looking for them. If someone just wants to pop in and buy some College swag without breaking the bank, we want to be able to help them out.”
 
For textbooks, the College is partnering with the online outlet eCampus. Students will still be able to pick up and return their purchased or rented books at the bookstore. The shift makes sense, Whitelaw says, since students, just like most people, do the majority of their shopping online. Students can log in to Haverford’s custom eCampus bookstore and opt for digital or print versions of their books. The latter arrive via free two-day shipping. 
 
The bookstore will still retain a section of books penned by Haverford-affiliated authors, school supplies, and its sundry selection of health and beauty options. Its small corner of grocery items will be moved upstairs to The Coop, Boyle says, where extended hours will make snacks even more accessible. In addition, he says, it’ll minimize food waste in alliance with the college’s commitment to sustainability. 

Boyle says many of the decisions driving the bookstore’s transformation, particularly the switch to eCampus, came from recommendations made by a 15-member committee comprising faculty, staff, and students. 

“We are super open to feedback,” he says, “and that’s to hammer home the point that we can now change. This isn’t a static operation anymore. We want the bookstore to represent what our community wants and needs at the College.”