Northwestern State University completed an agreement for the Follett Higher Education Group to operate its bookstores on the Natchitoches and Shreveport campuses.

At the close of business Friday, Feb. 16, Barnes and Noble ceased management of bookstores in the Friedman Student Union on the main campus in Natchitoches and at the College of Nursing and School of Allied Health in Shreveport.

Follett will reopen both stores in the existing locations on Tuesday, Feb. 27. During the transition in Natchitoches students, faculty, staff and others are encouraged to use the NEEBO Campus Corner bookstore at 912 University Parkway. That facility, which has been operated by the Follett Group for a number of years, will undergo extensive renovations beginning next month.

This transition in bookstore operations is part of a long-range plan for NSU to expand and enhance its bookstore services and to develop a comprehensive one-stop shopping facility on University Parkway adjacent to the main campus. This 8,000-square-foot Campus Store will be designed to provide a broad range of books and other course materials, high-quality fast foods and specialized promotional apparel and other gear and products with Northwestern emblems and logos.

Northwestern students, faculty and staff, alumni and the public will be served by this bookstore and shopping area that is scheduled to open for the Fall semester of 2018. The Northwestern State University Foundation has acquired this property directly across the street from the campus, and the partnership between Northwestern, the NSU Foundation and Follett will create a dynamic and high quality Campus Store experience for the university and community for years to come.

This exciting new partnership and the Campus Store concept will help maintain and increase the positive momentum that Northwestern has experienced in recent years.