Norfolk State University Signs Five Year Bookstore Management Agreement with Barnes & Noble

Norfolk, Va. - Norfolk State University announced the signing of a five-year management agreement with Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, Inc. to operate the Norfolk State University Bookstore beginning October 1, 2006.

“We are looking forward to the partnership with Barnes and Noble as well as the enhanced service offerings they will bring to NSU,” said Davida Harrell-Williams, director of auxiliary services. "It is an honor to have been selected to operate the bookstore at Norfolk State University," said Max J. Roberts, president of Barnes & Noble College Bookstores, Inc. "We look forward to providing outstanding customer service to the faculty, staff and students. We will dedicate all of our resources to ensure a quick, orderly and professional transition, meeting student textbook needs, and establishing faculty relations and campus outreach as quickly as possible".

Founded in 1873, Barnes & Noble is one of the nation’s largest booksellers. The company operates more than 575 campus bookstores for many of the nation's top schools, including Columbia University, Johns Hopkins University, University of Chicago, Yale University, Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania, Texas A&M University and Saint Louis University. In Virginia, Barnes & Noble manages the campus bookstores at:

Averett University	Central Virginia Community College
College of William and Mary	George Mason University (3)
J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College (2)	Liberty University
Longwood University	Marymount University
Northern Virginia Center (UVA / VA Tech)	Northern Virginia Community College (6)
Radford University	Randolph-Macon Woman’s College
Southern Virginia University	Southwest Virginia Community College
Virginia Military Institute

Under this agreement, the Barnes & Noble operated bookstore will not only serve as a “knowledge center” and a robust academic retail enterprise, but will evolve into a true “academic village green;” a nexus of campus, a meeting place for students, faculty, staff and alumni to celebrate the written word and the history, achievements and aspirations of Norfolk State University.

Another benefit of the agreement will be the availability of a larger number of less expensive used textbooks which will be provided by Barnes & Noble's affiliate company, MBS Textbook Exchange, Inc., the nation's largest used textbook wholesale company. Barnes & Noble will also install the latest version of Text-Aid, the industry's most sophisticated textbooks management system.

Barnes & Noble College Bookstores, Inc. is a privately held sister company to Barnes & Noble, Inc. (the "Superstore" company) and Barnes & Noble.com (the Internet company).