New changes to the Hornet Bookstore are the result of the partnership and ownership between University Enterprises Inc., formally the California State University, Sacramento Foundation, and Follett Higher Education Group, a major bookstore company based out of Oak Brook, Ill.

In June, a task force of University Enterprises board members and Sacramento State staff unanimously decided to partner up with Follett over other companies, such as Barnes & Noble. With Follett came $1 million for the temporary remodeling of the current Bookstore and the building of a new bookstore in the summer of 2007.

Previously, students had to wait to reach the 15 checkout registers. Now 32 registers with an updated sales system await students.

“For the amount of people (in the checkout lines), it was fast,” said Sung Kim, a senior accounting major.

The merchandise areas where students can buy Sacramento State apparel and other products have been expanded, where students can find more alumni commodities, such as mugs, shirts and class rings.

Another benefits of Follett’s partnership with Sac State are “a $10,000 student scholarship, new cherry wood fixtures instead of metal displays,” said Matt Altier, vice president of University Enterprises.

Follett’s bookstore advisory board will present new construction designs to University Enterprises this November. The cherry wood displays and register stands now seen in the current store will be transferred to the new building. The new building will act as a “congregation area for students to hang out, study and have fun,” said Mary Perry, vice president of marketing in the Western United States. The new bookstore will have wireless Internet connections for students with laptops.

New events for the bookstore will include author book signings, children’s books reading sessions and kiosks selling Hornet merchandise at athletic events, Homecoming Week and graduations, Perry said.

Follett joining Sac State offers another advantage with more resources of used textbooks. With 715 stores nationwide, books that are available at Stanford University are now accessible to Sac State students. According to Perry, more used textbooks will be available to the campus bookstore and at a relatively cheaper price. However, the prices of new textbooks remain to be determined by the publishers.

Jamie Gonzales can be reached at [email protected]