Collegiate Book Store Doing Better than expected During Recession
By Shakhawat Shamim

    The economic recession that is driving people away from bookstores across New York is leading them to the doors of the Collegiate Bookstore at Lehman College. During these harsh economic times, people are reaching for their wallets less and less. This reluctance to buy has had a negative impact on industries revolved around luxuries such as cars, clothing, toys, and even books.
    Unable to contend with the rising rent prices and fewer customers, small bookstores all over New York City have begun to close down. According to the New York Times even Barnes and Noble, the huge book store chain, was forced to close stores in Chelsea and Astor Place during the recession. But collegiate bookstores such as the one on the Lehman College campus on Bedford Park Boulevard in the Bronx are not having the same problem. Why is that? With the rising cost of tuition, shouldn’t students be buying fewer and fewer books?
    Donna Czak, Manager of the Lehman College bookstore does not think so. She is expecting the number of sales to increase during the upcoming spring semester. This is because instead of looking for jobs during the economic downturn, many are looking for an affordable college education in the hopes of getting a better job. The Wall Street Journal, an international daily newspaper, states that the unemployment rate for 25 years olds that have not gone beyond high school has nearly doubled from 5.2% to 10.0% over the past year. As a result more high school students and even adults who skipped college are taking a second look at its benefits.
     As more and more people are going to college, more and more people need textbooks. The bookstore, which sells more than just textbooks, has clothing, snacks, school supplies and other reading material. In addition to selling books the bookstore also buys back textbooks from the students. This not only allows the bookstore to obtain used books that it can sell back to students, but it also provides students with a way to make some money. Therefore business at the bookstore is looking up.
     But signs of the recession can still be seen. Students are not reaching for the new books as much as they used to. Recent Lehman College graduate Susan Lee, who majored in Biology, explained that she “always looked for the cheapest books at the bookstore.” This means that many of the books that students are buying have been pre-owned. But Czak is ready for it she says, “The publishers always raise the prices on books each year, so I try to get as many used books as I can, because I know they are going to go out fast.” So as the upcoming school year draws near be ready to see more people around the Lehman campus, especially the bookstore.