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SiA Bookstore facilitates safe semester start

“We go as far as we can to ensure that students have secure access to syllabus books”, says head of SiA Bookstore, Åsa Grønningsæter Aglen.

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Photo of Åsa Grønningsæter Aglen, Erika Norheim, Sissel Skribeland and Marianne Larsen fotografert inside SiA Book in Kristiansand.
From the left: Åsa Grønningsæter Aglen, Erika Norheim, Sissel Skribeland and Marianne Larsen prepare for a different semester start this autumn.

The Student Welfare Organization in Agder (SiA) has bookstores at the University of Agder’s campuses in Grimstad and Kristiansand. The bookstores closed like the rest of Norway when the coronavirus measures were introduced, and the university’s campuses were shut down. They have spent the time preparing infection control measures for semester start this autumn.

Expanding opening hours

“We have prepared bundles of syllabus books for as many study programmes as we can so that students easily can get what they need. In this way, we reduce the time they have to spend inside the store and safeguard infection control. To help ease the pressure, we will also have extended opening hours in August”, says Aglen.

SiA Bookstore is located right next to the canteen on both campuses, and the staff are cooperating with the lecturers at UiA to make sure students can always get what they need.

UiA is working to provide premises for lectures off campus, as many of the premises on campus cannot be used with the current transmission prevention guidelines. That means there will be fewer people on campus, and SiA Bookstore must plan for that.

New web solution

“We will try to get an online solution on SiA’s website, where students can look up their study programme and see what kind of package we can offer and at a discounted price. They can pick up the books at their convenience or have them delivered to their mailbox. The extended opening hours will help us with that”, says Aglen.