SHANNON KELLY
Assistant Perspectives Editor
Beginning this week, the Pepperdine bookstore has begun to stock alumnus Steve Emmerson’s Rocketbooks, reading supplement DVDs the bookstore previously refused to sell.
The bookstore initially chose not to sell the DVDs because of a former rule against CliffsNotes- type products implemented by the Humanities Division six years ago.
Humanities Division Chair Maire Mullins said that after reading about Rocketbooks in the Oct. 6 issue of the Graphic, she consulted other professors in the division to consider allowing the bookstore to sell Emmerson’s study aids.
“I didn’t see any reason to keep Rocketbooks out of the bookstore,” Mullins said. She said discussed the situation with other professors in the division who also said they didn’t see any reason to keep the product off the shelves.
“We decided there was no problem, so I called the bookstore and told them to go ahead with the product,” Mullins said.
English Professor Dr. James Thomas watched the “Hamlet” and “The Great Gatsby” Rocketbooks DVDs and said he agreed the study aids should be sold at Pepperdine.
“It is a very useful and solid product, and I figure if institutions as aspirational as UCLA and Stanford are selling them, than we should also make them available to our students,” he said.
Thomas also said it was important to take into consideration that Emmerson graduated from Seaver.
“Steve is one of our own, so its good to see his business growing and that he is succeeding entrepreneurially,” Thomas said.
Bookstore manager, Diane Criswell, said that after she received a phone call from Mullins she called Follett Corporation, the company that runs Pepperdine’s bookstore.
“Follett already sells Rocketbooks in more than 25 of its campus bookstores and was glad that Pepperdine will now be allowed to carry the product,” Criswell said.
Emmerson said he was surprised when Pepperdine turned down his product last January. “I’m glad they have decided to put Rocketbooks on the shelves,” he said.
Emmerson also said that while promoting his business, he has come across situations similar to what has happened at Pepperdine.
“It is not uncommon for schools to turn us down at first because of rules against CliffsNotes,” he said. “But after they realize that Rocketbooks are different and are useful study aids, they usually change their minds.”
Many students said they are looking forward to seeing Rocketbooks for sale.
“I am just going to be glad to see them on the shelves because it shows that an unnecessary rule got changed,” sophomore Emily Simon said. “There is no reason for a rule to be set in stone if it keeps a useful resource out of student’s hands.”
Freshman Jamie Wolff said he thinks Rocketbooks will be a useful supplement for college students.
“These DVD study aids are going to be way more appealing to college students than CliffsNotes. I know I’d much rather watch something to help me understand it than read more than I already have,” he said.
Freshman Kelsey Kooi said she agreed that the rule change will benefit students.
“That’s great that they changed their minds,” she said. “Pepperdine students deserve to have access to all kinds of study materials, especially those that are being offered at other competitive universities.”
At the beginning of this month Rocketbooks also started advertising on the Facebook. Emmerson said students can expect to see add banners on the Web site within the next couple of weeks.
“As we add new schools to the list, we are glad to have Pepperdine on board and look forward to growing and moving forward,” Emmerson said.
11-17-2005