EDITORIAL: Books for sale at the lowest price

The University shouldn't let Barnes & Nobel monopolize the market for course-related books. Administrators should follow Council's vote against a proposal that would force professors to publish a course book list on the Internet. The suggestions made by Council's bookstore committee do not promote open competition among the bookstores as proponents have said. Instead, public lists could give Barnes & Noble the advantage over the House of Our Own and the Penn Book Center. Barnes & Noble may be able to absorb return book costs as well as undercut its competition. Most students probably don't have a preference over their current choices. And if course lists were made public, students are likely to buy all of their books at Barnes & Noble simply for convenience. Council's bookstore committee should also expand its purpose to look at other bookstores in the West Philadelphia area and not just Barnes & Noble. For example, House of Our Own is a positive force in the University community, adding to the academic environment by bringing in guest speakers. The University should maintain its current book policies that have allowed that bookstore to thrive for 25 years. Whether Council's bookstore committee had intended to give the advantage to Barnes & Noble or not, the proposals in the report could effectively eliminate all other area bookstores by creating an unfair playing field. University administrators shouldn't hand over all of its course books to Barnes & Noble just because it will be the new store on the block. Instead, administrators should adhere to the decision made by Council.