Brown Bookstore to Remain Independent

On May 2, the administration of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, announced that the Brown University Bookstore would remain independent. A statement from Beppie Huidekoper, Brown's executive vice president for finance and administration and chair of the Bookstore Review Committee noted that, although the bookstore needs material improvements in a number of ways, "there is strong campus community support for maintaining the independence of the Brown Bookstore as we implement these improvements rather than contracting with a vendor. While the committee feels both models are viable, the committee also believes Brown's values, culture, and customers can be best represented and successfully served at this time in a self-operated store."

Sian Roberts, co-chair of Save the Bookstore Coalition (SBC), which organized support for Brown Bookstore, told BTW, "Obviously, we're just thrilled at the decision to remain self-operated -- it's a real vindication of independent bookselling and local retailers in Providence.

"I think this speaks volumes about this institution's values and its determination to buck conformity and institutional peer pressure," said Roberts, who helped form SBC in March after the university's Bookstore Review Committee announced its initial preference for contracting with a vendor to operate the store.

Roberts said, "We commend the Brown administration for making the right decision for the Brown and Providence communities. We sincerely thank all of our supporters and volunteers, and we hope that other institutions will be encouraged by this outcome and will know that outsourcing can be prevented."

SBC's efforts during the past two months included hosting Save the Bookstore rallies and a McSweeney's author event with Dave Eggers. The coalition numbered their supporters at 1,200, including politicians, independent business owners, local community advocates, labor union representatives, students, professors, and area residents.

In a statement sent to BTW on May 3, the Brown Bookstore staff expressed its appreciation to the review committee and the Brown administration for its decision, as well as to the Save the Bookstore Coalition "for the incredible effort made ... to keep the Brown Bookstore independent."

Noting that months, and possibly years, of improvements lie ahead, the staff statement continued, "We are committed to making the bookstore an improved general book resource to Brown and the Rhode Island community, and to developing an exciting independent bookstore anchor store for the Thayer Street retail district." --Karen Schechner