MSA plans store for coursepacks

The price of coursepacks could drop dramatically if some members of the Michigan Student Assembly successfully implement plans for a new coursepack store.

MSA plans to set up a store that will produce and sell coursepacks in conjunction with the Michigan Union Bookstore. Sales are scheduled to start during winter term.

MSA President Mike Nagrant, who promised the new store during his campaign last year, said plans for the store are coming together. MSA allocated $10,000 from the special project fund to get the store on its feet.

"Our goal is to produce about 30 packs for January," Nagrant said. "However, we're only going to produce non-royalty coursepacks winter term."

Non-royalty coursepacks include non-copyrighted material, such as works written by a professor specifically for a class.

A motivation for opening the store is the current prices of coursepacks in Ann Arbor. Some students pay nearly as much for coursepacks as they do for books.

"I think I spent about $150 just on coursepacks last fall," said LSA senior Brian Robillard. "It's just a bad system."

Robillard is not alone in his high spending.

"I've spent over $200 before," said LSA senior Navin Bapat.

Currently, students who get their coursepacks at Michigan Document Services pay 6 1/2 cents per copied page, plus a binding fee. Accu-Copy, another coursepack producer, charges 7 1/2 cents per copy, but has no binding fee.

Over the past few years, publishers have sued stores that put together coursepacks, alleging improper use of copyrighted materials.

After losing a lawsuit last year, Michigan Document Service was forced to make sure the store properly pay royalty fees.

Michigan Document Services owner Jim Smith said that as a result of his store's court loss to publishing companies, there is no cheaper way to produce coursepacks besides charging for each page of copied material. Since single-copy use is legal, the store has revamped its procedures so students push the copy button on the machines.

"I understand what the motivation is, but I think (MSA is) very unrealistic," Smith said. "There is not going to be a cheaper way after the court ruling."

But Phil Zaret, owner of Accu-Copy, said the new business can be a success.

"As long as they have one or two people who know what they're doing, they'll be fine," Zaret said.

Smith said he would happily yield to students if they could legally produce the packs without paying royalty costs to authors.

"I'd give my place to MSA and let them do coursepacks," Smith said.

Nagrant said he hopes to produce the packs at 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cents per page. Though the new store will not begin selling coursepacks requiring royalty fees next term, Nagrant hopes to avoid these fees when the store produces coursepacks requiring royalty fees.

"Since it will be a non-profit store with students running it, we should be within fair-use statutes," Nagrant said.

Nagrant also said the store is not designed to send larger businesses into bankruptcy, but rather to aid students.

"We're only trying to provide students with a little savings and convenience," Nagrant said.

MSA representatives are currently trying to persuade professors to give their coursepacks to the new store for next term.

"I would say to professors that you're going to save your students money. It will provide them with one-stop shopping for coursepacks and books, and professors will be helping to provide work-study jobs," Nagrant said.

LSA first-year student Matt Studt said the current system needs revision.

"It's a pain to go out and stand in lines to buy books, and then go to other places and stand in lines again for coursepacks," Studt said. "Having it in the basement of the Union is a good idea. It's a central location."

The store will employ work-study students to produce and sell the packs. MSA plans to help pay their salaries as well.

"We plan to subsidize labor so it doesn't go into the price of the coursepack," Nagrant said.

The coursepacks will be put together in a room below the Michigan Union Bookstore and then be placed on the shelves next to the books for the course. In addition, MSA will buy copiers with the help of the School of Literature, Science & Arts from Linear Copiers.

11-13-97