The Student Center Bookstore is holding a “Grand Opening” this week to familiarize students and faculty with the changes they have made since remodeling this summer.

The main changes are the additions of several new sections and an increase of all inventory, Grand Opening Coordinator Beth Grahm said.

She said, “One new section we’ve added features only items with the Gumby character. Another big improvement is that we’ve increased our gift selections tri-fold.”

The store will be holding a variety of in-store promotions and events this week.

Among the events will be a series of prizes to be raffled off each day at noon.

Grahm said, “Prizes include a Sony Boombox, a VCR, a four-man tent and several cameras, as well as many other bookstore items. Winners will have to be present for some prizes.”

WKDI will broadcast semi-live today from 10 a.m. to noon in the center of the bookstore to kick-off the week-long promotion, Grahm said.

A “Carnival of Savings” will begin today with discounts on many items. There will be a clown passing out helium balloons and free samples.

During the week, several authors, who are also instructors at NIU, will be on hand to autograph their books.

NIU English Professor Lucien Stryk will be there today from 1 to 3 p.m. to sign his books.

Stryk said, “I will be autographing ‘Bells of Lombardy’ in addition to other books. I believe the bookstore carries nearly all of my works.”

On Tuesday, Dick Johannesen, professor of communicaton studies at NIU, and author of “Ethics in Communicaton,” will sign his book.

Other authors featured will be Felix Padilla, director of the Center for Latino and Latin American Studies; Sean Shesgreen, NIU English professor; and NIU history professors W.B. Lincoln and Steve Kern.

A faculty/staff reception will be held on Wednesday from 2 to 4 p.m. There will be a product demonstration by Texas Instruments featuring a programmable calculator which later will be raffled off.

eception participants also will have the opportunity to win a James Herriot leather-bound signed and numbered book.

Grahm said “Our new motto and the basis of our campaign is ‘Changing to meet your needs.'”