In With the New: New Bookstore Location Aims to Serve Students

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Every September for the past 25 years, students of Rutgers Camden have undergone a pilgrimage that could be counted on as regularly as the leaves turning orange for the fall. This was the trek to the bookstore, wherein students gathered the required materials for the semester – and as of this summer, it will never happen again. The campus bookstore, previously located three blocks to the east of campus in the bottom floor of the Camden County College parking garage, has moved to a more centralized location within the campus center, where the old Corner Lounge used to be. The move was announced via an email to all students over the summer, and completed before the first day of classes for the fall 2025 semester.

The move was announced as a result of an expiring contract with the CCC bookstore that was chosen not to be renewed this June, after almost 25 years in service. Kristin Walker, the Executive Director of Special Initiatives, Events, and Dining for Rutgers Camden was able to elaborate on the contract and the decision not to renew: “Following thoughtful discussions, all parties mutually agreed not to renew the agreement. While Barnes & Noble continues to serve Camden County College students from its Blackwood location, recent years have brought a wave of consistent feedback from students, faculty, parents, and alumni across our institutions. The message was clear: an on-campus bookstore is not just a convenience—it’s a vital part of the college experience. We listened.”

With change can sometimes come uncertainty. In this case, some students were curious as to whether or not the new location would offer all of the same services as the old one. Some students lamented the loss of space to be used for study and relaxation, like Olivia the Fine Arts and Criminal Justice major: “I don’t know if the Freshman Class is bigger this semester, but it’s, there’s so many people, it’s so crowded here, and it’s hard to find spots to work and [the former Corner Lounge] was usually pretty quiet, so it was nice to work in. Aside from that, the location is pretty convenient.”

The walk to the former location every semester will not be missed by many students: “I find it pretty convenient, I could walk in essentially any time. They got clothes, they got most of the books that I need for class. And I appreciate the fact that… you could walk in through the Campus Center, so it’s pretty easy to navigate all right,” said Oliver, a Finance and Accounting major.

Another student added: “For the new bookstore location, I find it to be more comfortable and safer, considering it’s not a way where we have to go, like, in a back road to go to the bookstore that was away from campus… I genuinely like how it’s actually campus centered this time.”

Kristin Walker assures the student body that they won’t be missing any vital services from the old bookstore like book rental, school supplies, regalia, or even scrubs for nursing students. The new location will offer almost all of the same services that were offered at the previous location, except for books aimed at non-academic general reading. Instead, the plan is to offer more RUC branded merchandise. “The only difference between the previous location and our new location is that we are now on campus and solely focused on servicing Rutgers—Camden,” Walker said.

Walker, who proudly hails from a household full of fellow Rutgers alumni, also understood concerns about the Student Works Gallery that used to occupy the same space. With the bookstore now in this location, efforts are underway to find a new and appropriate location to display the work of Rutgers student artists: “We recognize the importance of showcasing student creativity, and we’re working closely with the Department of Visual, Media, and Performing Arts to identify a new space within the Campus Center that will better highlight student art in a dynamic and accessible way.”

Additionally, to accommodate the location of the new bookstore, the Kite & Key electronics store was moved to a more centralized location in the main lobby of the Campus Center, overlooking the “fishbowl” seating and lounge area. This means that students in need of electronics and tech support will not have their needs displaced by the new bookstore location.

For her part, Kirstin Walker and the crew at the bookstore want the new space to be positive and useful for students: “Students should have confidence that our bookstore staff will have the correct course material based on the information provided by faculty members. As far as merchandise goes, all members of the campus community are encouraged to give feedback about the types of merchandise they’d like to see in the store!”