- Profile of Phillip Humphreys
- Plaudits
- Service Awards
- Colleague to Colleague: Caitlin Roberts reports on the rich history of Greek life at The Beach
- Spotlight on Beach Pride Center
- Unit Activities
- A CLASS Act
- Students Participate in Internships at The Washington Center
- Meet Erin Swetland
- Student Nuggets
- Alternative Spring Break 2009
- Facts About The Beach
- Target Case Study Competition Held
Text Size 
Innovative Textbook Options
The Forty-Niner Shops has partnered with the CSULB campus community for more than 55 years, providing retail and dining services to support the educational mission of the university. As the largest employer of students on campus, the shops are committed to supporting student success. In spring 2009, the shops created a unique and innovative way to address the rising cost of textbooks, which have become a stress and burden to many students.
“It is clear to me that we need to do as much as we can to support our students and their families,” said Don Penrod, CEO and general manager of the Forty-Niner Shops. “Many times, the financial aid that our students receive does not include support for textbooks or supplies. The shops are committed to our students and has developed unprecedented partnerships with the campus to ensure we provide more options and affordable alternatives.”
Among the unique partnerships is a Pilot Textbook Rental Program—one of seven offered among the 23 CSU campuses. In this new venture, the University Bookstore purchases, processes and maintains textbooks and the University Library stocks, distributes and collects them. With this option, students rent books at only 40 percent of the new book price. Rental title listings are available at the bookstore or found on class syllabi. Lists also are published on the bookstore’s website. To rent a book, a student must present his or her student ID card at the library and pay the rental fee in advance with a Beach Club Card. The student also signs a rental contract agreeing to return all rented books no later than the last day of finals. In spring 2009, there were 12 titles offered through this program. The Forty-Niner Shops are working with faculty to add additional titles for the 2009-10 academic year.
The shops also continue to offer the popular Book Buyback Program, which allows the University Bookstore to purchase used textbooks from students. Last year alone, the shops paid students more than $1.4 million for used books. This year, the program is stronger than ever, guaranteeing to buy back books from students plus an additional 10 percent if the money is credited to a Beach Club Card.
To facilitate textbook options for students, the shops also offer a number of online services to students. These include buyback comparisons, a peer-to-peer classified service that allows students to sell their books to other CSULB students. The shops management understands that students need options, today more than ever. According to Penrod, “we can no longer compete with the online market; instead, we bring affordable alternatives directly to students and let them decide what option is best for them.”
In 2009, the shops also hosted its First Annual Bowling for Books Tournament, which partnered with Long Beach Community College Viking Bookstores to raise more than $35,000 for student textbook scholarships. As the university matures, the shops continue to reinvent services and operations to provide innovative resources to students, faculty, staff and the community at large. Last year alone, the shops contributed more than $6 million to the university through donations, partnerships and reimbursed services. Through its numerous programs, capital redevelopment projects and direct investments, it is evident that the shops are truly committed to the success of students at The Beach.