2021 ACCOMPLISHMENTS Lehigh University Bookstore The Lehigh University Bookstore helped facilitate commencements for both the class of 2020 and 2021 - collaborating with Lehigh departments and the commencement regalia vendor, Herff Jones, to ensure Lehigh was prepared to host multiple in-person ceremonies. This planning process also included rethinking how we traditionally conduct Grad Fair Days - where students order their regalia (hosted by the LU Bookstore). While the primary focus during commencement planning was on safety and a smooth execution of the events, the Bookstore was also tasked with creating a safe and fun outdoor shopping environment near Goodman Stadium to help reduce in-person traffic at the campus store. As in past years, we helped facilitate regalia distribution and collection alongside Herff Jones. This past year we successfully launched 2 First Day courses totaling 7 sections. This pilot’s goal is to increase affordable access to educational materials for courses. As we work through the pilot phase, our next steps will be to expand the program to provide affordable opportunities to even more students. We remained nimble in adjusting and accommodating our operations to adhere to all campus guidelines as needed. We relaunched athletic events and in-store events in the fall of 2021 while adhering to all safety guidelines. We managed a 59% increase in holiday sales on our website. Normally, we would compare the current year’s sales to the previous year. This year we pivoted and are comparing our sales to the year before…as it was the most recent “normal” year and provides better data for decision making. The LU Bookstore onboarded a new store manager. Bookstore staff, Lehigh staff, and the B&N regional manager worked together to ensure a smooth transition and thorough but speedy orientation process. The LU Bookstore launched a new website to increase sales and improve the customer experience. Launched in November 2021.
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