University of Virginia Library

University Of Michigan Study Reveals
Most Student Bookstores Make Profit

(In 1967, the University of Michigan
completed a study on student run bookstores
and their operation in the Midwest Area. The
chart below is the result of those studies.

—Ed.)

                                                 
Western
Michigan
University 
Central
Michigan
University 
Wayne
State
University 
Eastern
Michigan
University 
Northwestern
University 
U. of
Wisconsin 
U. of
Illinois 
A. Who owns bookstore?  WMU  CMU  WSU  EMU  NU  Common Law
nonstock trust 
UIll. 
B. To whom does the manager report?  Dir of Aux
Enterprises 
Dir of Aux
Enterprises 
V-P Bus.
& Bus 
Dir of Aux
Enterprises 
Manager
Chi campus 
Bd of Trustees  Union
Director 
C. Are there are faculty or student
advisory groups? 
no  no  no  Council of
fac, stud, alum 
no  Trustees: fac,
stud, alum 
Advisory
Board 
SERVICES 
A. Average price of texts  list price  list price  10%  list price  list price  list price  list price 
B. Special student discounts?  no  no  no  no  no  5% rebate  $ 4% 
Academic staff discounts?  10%  10%  10%  yes  10%  10% 
C. Annual volume in textbooks  $850,000  $379,000  $1.5 mil  $700,000  $175,000  $2.3 mil  $1.7 mil 
Annual volume in other items  $689,000  $171,000  $350,000  $440,000  $45,000  $1.1 mil  $465,000 
OPERATIONS 
A. Average inventory in textbooks  $239,000  $112,000  $300,000  $194,000  $100,000  $485,000  $346,000 
Average inventory in other items  $236,000  $96,000  $130,000  $79,040  $6,000  $169,000 
B. To what extent self-supporting  100%  100%  almost  100%  100%  100%  almost 100% 
Direct or indirect subsidies  $1,400 for
post office 
Part of stud.
centers 
Free rent,
some util 
Part of stud.
centers 
None  None  Check
printing 
C. Profit for past 5 years?  Yes (9%)  Yes  Yes  Yes  Yes  Yes  Yes 
What used for?  Scholarships  Debts  New store  Operate bldg  Replacement  Rebates  Union fund 
D. Collect and pay state sales tax?  gen merch  non-req items  non-requ  non-educ  yes  Yes  Yes 
E. Size of bookstore for selling space  11,000 ft  7,248 ft  6,450 ft  8,000 ft  3,200 ft  16,000 ft  6,600 ft 
For storage space  6,000 ft  3,100 ft  11,000 ft  3,000 fact  800 ft  10,000 ft  6,500 ft 
HISTORY 
A. When founded?  1913  1960  1920  1950  1940  1892  1940's 
B. Private bookstores when founded? 
C. Private bookstores in 1965 
ENROLLMENT  13,800  1700  14,000  5000  5800  20,000
(Madison) 
19,000