Calabar, Cross River —The Director, University of Calabar Commercial Ventures, Prof. Peter Oti has called on staff and students of the University as well as the general public to patronise the UNICAL-BOOKSHOP describing it as the one-stop haven for texts on all subjects NEGROIDHAVEN can report.
Prof. Oti made the call while fielding questions from a section of the media on the activities of the directorate, especially, the bookshop.
Highlighting the imperative of taking advantage of what the bookshop offers, the director said members of the University community and the public should always avail themselves of the invaluable and pocket friendly textbooks in stock.
He said the UNICAL-BOOKSHOP which was established by the Management of the University to provide affordable texts for its teeming population plays a significant role in supporting the institution’s mission and helping students achieve sustainable success.
According to him, “Textbooks are critical components of the entire studentship experience and lecturer alike.
“As such, we urged students to take advantage of the books we have at the UNICAL-BookShop for knowledge and more knowledge.
We are trying to not only enhance the educational experience, but save students money at the same time from needless adventure and unethical interactions”, he added.
The erudite Professor who maintained that the UNICAL-BOOKSHOP is a vital sector of the university system said books available at the bookshop are acquired directly from publishers and they are rich in content, tailored to address curricular demands, as well as, meet the research and reference needs of both students and lecturers.
He said at UNICAL-BOOKSHOP, they do more than just sell textbooks for students, lecturers and faculties, but rather play a huge part in helping students, faculty and staff access desired texts of their choice at affordable prices.
This is as he informed that the bookshop has in stock Inaugural Lecture texts which he described as reservoirs of knowledge for the academic staff, noting that, inaugural lecture texts are written by seasoned professionals in the academia with long standing experience in their various disciplines.
To this end, he called on lecturers, students and researchers to take advantage of the availability of the inaugural lectures booklets by purchasing them because of the benefits the lectures offer to their academic pursuit.
Continuing, He said the UNICAL-BOOKSHOP wished to have a compendium of all university inaugural lectures stressing that past inaugural lecturers who wished to have their lectures included in the compendium should visit the bookshop for more emphasis.
While bemoaning the poor reading culture among students, the Director said “We have surveys that tell us that typically less than a third of the students have books for the first day of class, which is unfortunate and can put them behind in their courses and I know it is not the best way to begin a semester.”
He asserted that students who do not have their books to study do not do as well in class compared to those who purchased and read their course books and other materials .
He further informed that, the Vice Chancellor declaration that students should not be forced to buy books, does not in any way mean that, students shouldn’t buy books that are of necessity to their chosen career.
Prof. Oti maintained that the UNICAL-BOOKSHOP is more than just a retail outlet, emphasizing that from boosting students’ school spirit to sharing knowledge of text expertise, it contributes to the overall retention and success of the students on campus.
He added that staff at UNICAL-BookShops take time to relate with students and other customers who patronise the Shop, noting that, serving students responsibly and offering the most cost-effective course materials is what is obtainable therein.
According to Prof. Oti, apart from the sales of books at Unical-BookShop, the Unical-Bookshop has other stationery items, t-shirts, mementoes and several Unical branded items.
This is even as he urged customers desirous of any books, to visit the UNICAL-BookShops located at Unical MultiPurpose Cooperative Society Complex, Students Affairs Division Building and the UNICAL Secondary school or call, +2349067802702, +2349028131152.