The previous location of the Campus Bookstore located in the Student Center on the east side of campus, with signs saying "CLOSED" taped on the front doors on February 27, 2025. [Elayna Sylvester/ The Picket]

Shepherd University Bookstore Closure Sparks Student Concerns Amid Midterms

March 5, 2025 Elayna Sylvester, Reporter News 0

On Feb. 17, Shepherd University Student Affairs sent a campus-wide email to students notifying them that the Campus Bookstore would be temporarily “closed for approximately six weeks starting Feb. 18, to accommodate renovations in the Student Center,” the email stated.

Renovations include, “sprinkler [system] replacement in the basement of the Student Center and also required the replacement of the pipes that feed those sprinklers.” according to a written statement via email from Associate Vice President of Campus Services Jack Shaw.  

Selective supplies and apparel have since relocated to the Potomac Place classroom on the west side of campus. With this relocation and midterms week occurring the following week, students express concerns about how the move will affect the accessibility to supplies such as scantrons and green books.  

The temporary relocation of the Campus Bookstore, located at the Potomac Place classroom next to Riverside Market on the west side of campus. On the door are its hours, which are from 9 am to 3 p.m. Mondays to Fridays.[Elayna Sylvester/ The Picket]
“As a student worker who works in a space where I’m helping students get to resources, it’s kind of complicated trying to tell people where to go to get those resources,” Shepherd student and employee of the Student Success Center Autumn McClung said. “I think people are getting really affected by this, especially during midterms week, because we’re having people come in here scatterbrained asking, ‘Where do I even go to get these things?’” she explained. 

Many students stated that although their midterms schedule may not be directly affected, they still hold concerns for fellow students that need more frequent and accessible access to the bookstore and its supplies. “[The closure] doesn’t really affect me per say. I know it affects some people, but it’s inconvenient because its moving across campus away from the classes,” another Shepherd student Michael Cooper, a junior, stated. 

“I’m a history major, so we use green books for almost everything, so I went ahead and I bought five or six when I knew that they were going to close,” Ella Esmay described her adaptation to the change, but also went on to describe her experience as an employee of the Student Center. When asked how much the closure and relocation affected her, “Kinda a lot, I work at [the] Game Zone, so they made me move all of the stuff from the bookstore out, but I did get paid for that, and I also got a bookstore gift card.” Esmay explained. 

As of Feb. 26, the temporary bookstore location in the Potomac Place classroom, located down the hall from the Riverside Market, has opened. Posted hours are from 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Conclusion of renovations and the predicted reopening date of the bookstore in its original location is April 7, also according to Shaw.  

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*