August 22, 2001
University Park, Pa. — The Penn State Bookstore is attracting students to its aisles by making the process as easy as stop, scan and shop while a percentage of the purchases - $16 million to date - goes to Penn State projects.

A convenient computer system has made shopping a breeze during the current book-buying rush that students face at the start of each semester. Customers can simply scan their student IDs at one of the computers in the store and receive a computer printout of their schedules. The printouts, however, do not just tell students when and where they have classes - they also show students what books to purchase for their individual classes and where those books are located in the bookstore.

The system has proven popular among students.

“At the end of the day our customer count shows that 90 percent use the feature,” said Thomas Bauer, general manger of the Penn State Bookstore.

Another appeal to shopping at the Penn State Bookstore is that part of each purchase is returned to University students. Barnes & Noble, the nation’s largest bookseller which operates Penn State Bookstore, agreed to give a portion of its income from these bookstores back to the University in 1993. The money, in turn, has been spent through the years on the following projects:

• $8.2 million to student scholarships
• $3.9 million to bookstore renovations
• $2.3 million to student projects
• $1.6 million to the HUB-Robeson Center, Pattee Library and bike paths

**aek**

Contact:  Allison Kessler at (814) 865-7517 or e-mail aek143@psu.edu.