Profs hopeful for Book Center lease

With the Pennsylvania Book Center's surprise announcement yesterday that a leasing agreement with the University seems likely, it looks like summer may finally begin for the store's devoted faculty patrons. "I am really excited," said History Professor and 15-year customer Alan Kors. "This is just great news.". Earlier this week, when the Book Center's departure seemed imminent, many faculty were at a loss. "I honestly don't know what I'm going to do," Education Professor John Puckett said on Monday. Van Pelt Special Collections Curator Daniel Traister, a customer for 12 years, half-jokingly wondered about his options without his favorite book supplier. "My alternative? Amazon.com?" he said in reference to the World Wide Web-based book seller. Many professors have even put their book orders for the fall on hold pending an agreement. "Usually I would have placed my orders by now, but I'm waiting to see what happens," Kors said. "I'm not doing anything until everything is settled," added Religious Studies Department Chairperson Stephen Dunning, another 15-year patron. In the face of an uncertain future, faculty have been adding their voices of support for the Book Center. "I have talked to [Managing Director of Real Estate] Tom Lussenhop about the situation," English Professor Margareta DeGrazia said. "I think he knows how the faculty feel about the Book Center." "The faculty have just been an invaluable support to us through this whole process" said Chris Murphy, Assistant Manager at the Book Center. That support is a natural extension of a deep-seated appreciation for the store's intellectual contributions to the Penn campus. As the musty corridors brim with Austen, Yeats, and everything in between and casual conversations spring up naturally amongst browsing customers, an atmosphere is created which many faculty consider crucial to the University's academic vitality. "Here is a place where students can engage in intellectual discourse outside the classroom," Dunning said. "The Book Center represents just the sort of environment Penn should strive for." Faculty also find the diverse selection to be quite unique. While it is true that the House of Our Own bookstore on the 3900 Block of Spruce Street is widely regarded and often cited by professors as a possible alternative to the Penn Book Center, many find its selection too limited to serve all their course needs. As for the Barnes & Noble-operated University Bookstore slated to open in the fall, faculty have been less then receptive. "They can't force me to buy from [Barnes & Noble]," History and Literature Professor Nina Auerbach declared. Thus, for its loyal fans, there's only one book store. "The Book Center is really one of a kind," Puckett said.