Letter to the Editor: New look, same books

Madeline Doman, a freshman communication major, checks out at the UD Bookstore’s temporary operations, Friday, Jan. 17, in the RecPlex’s Mac gym. Pipes burst in Marianist Hall causing the temporary relocation. (Chris Santucci/ Staff Photographer)

By: Vic Bentley – Junior, Communication

I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love our new University of Dayton Bookstore.

During the first week of January, much of the Midwest – Ohio included – experienced what meteorologists called a polar vortex, which is when vast swaths of artic air creeps beyond the Canadian border and pushes deep into the American plains causing extremely low temperatures and icy conditions.

It caused many pipes to burst, resulting in water damage that affected the UD Bookstore and its supplies.

With less than a week before school started, UD bookstore officials made “lemonade in the winter” by adjusting the usual routine of textbook sales to accommodate the issue and move its operations to a more appropriate and still convenient location.

With hundreds of students returning to school and needing to buy their textbooks for class, what could the bookstore do with the damaged books and supplies lying underwater, ultimately rendered useless? How could the bookstore provide students their much-needed textbooks?

Fortunately, UD Bookstore officials’ were able to adapt to the situation and their effort was nothing short of heroic. Supplies were moved to the UD Recplex, and neatly arranged for students in the intramural courts.

With the advent of the “new” bookstore arrangement came an added bonus. There is now an entire section of supplies, at least 3 three times as large as the old one. The textbook section is so spacious, that navigating aisle ways is a breeze. And the lines are shorter too because of the added cashiers for checking out.

Now, shopping at the UD bookstore is like going to a mall. You can work out and shop conveniently in the same building. What will they think of next?