Books at the Oberlin College co-operational bookstore cost too much. But with very few alternatives, students must shop there. Lots of students don't step into the Co-op armed with mommy and daddy's credit limitless credit card. Subsequently, more books should be available at a rent rate or at cheap used and very very used rates. Another alternative could be more professors placing all books on reserve or crystallizing materials into comprehensive course readers. These idyllic solutions probably aren't logical or feasible, but part of the fun of being an Oberlin student is forgetting about that and attempting to circumvent reality. For example, many students think that pot should be legally smoked in the rooms our tuition pays for, so they smoke it. Others think we shouldn't have to go to class when we don't want to, so they don't go. Textbooks at a 30G a year school should be free or much cheaper than they are, but they aren't - so we steal them from the Co-op.
People steal things at the Co-op for a number of reasons. 1) Merchandise is too expensive. 2) The Co-op has very limited security. 3) There's student ignorance and disregard of the co-op process. 4) Despite losing tens of thousands of dollars, the Co-op has prosecuted one person in 2 years. For theft to go down, all of these must be addressed by students. Unlike other reality circumventions, stealing from the Co-op has immediate deeply grounded tragic consequences for employees and students.
Our theft directly affects Co-op workers, many of whom have families. A freeze on wages has placed many full-time workers beneath the poverty level. Theft also affects text book prices. The more we steal from the Co-op, the higher the Co-op's book prices rise. Theft, and the lack of a security system strain employee/customer relations as workers must monitor the Co-op shoppers. This monitoring breeds resentment on the part of many students. Introducing the Co-op to first-year students at Orientation will help new students understand what a co-operational bookstore is, and can be. However, education and student participation in the Co-op process will not halt theft. In addition to education, students must understand that prosecution awaits those of us who are caught.
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