Contract Connects OU with Specialty

by Ben Roode
FOR THE POST

Since Ohio University created a link on its Web site connecting students who need textbooks to a local bookstore, both OU and students have benefited.

The link connects students to the Specialty Books Web site, http://www.specialtybooks.com, which is affiliated with Specialty Books, 5 N. Court St.

This partnership has provided OU with 5 percent of sales from online book orders. The commission will be paid to the university on books purchased by OU students who use the link, said Mary Patacca, OU director of purchasing.

"This money will go directly to the (Division of) Student Affairs," she said.

The commission will help fund student activities and programming, said Richard Carpinelli, assistant vice president of student affairs.

"The money will probably go toward programs like social activities and alternative weekend programming such as recreation room activities or coffeehouse concerts," Carpinelli said. "It could also go toward under-funded programs."

The Web site has received moderate response from students because the program is still young, he said.

Mona Drake, a manager at Specialty Books, said the link already has benefited the store. But Drake said determining the actual increase in sales would be too time consuming.

"The online sales have increased since Fall Quarter." she said, "Students can order books from their dorm rooms."

Professors also can see if the right books have been ordered for their class or if the books have been delivered yet, Drake said.

Drake said the link's success stems from flyers and from OU, which aids in marketing and advertising ideas.

Online book purchasing has been available to students since July 2000, Patacca said. But Fall Quarter was the first full quarter students have been able to access it through the OU Web site, http://www.ohiou.edu. Students can find the link in the Office of the University Registrar's section of the OU Web site.

OU formed a committee to determine which company to connect to the university. The six-person committee consisted of a Student Senate member, academic advisors and OU officials.

OU had been attempting to select a bookstore since early last year, according to a previous Post article.

"It was a lengthy process," Patacca said. "We had to choose between three companies: Nebraska Book Company, bigwords.com and eCampus.com."

The university chose Nebraska Book Company, supplier of Specialty Books, because of its proven track record and competitive offer, Patacca said.

"All of the companies had decent offers, but Nebraska Book Company was the only proven company of the three," she said.

Nebraska Book Company's offer of commission helped persuade the university to accept their proposal.

"bigwords.com offered a higher commission, but we questioned their business capabilities," said Patacca, "That's why we went with Nebraska."