History
As one of the largest independent college bookstores in the country, the Illini Union Bookstore is the continuation of a book exchange organized in the early 1920s by students at the university. Due to the exchange's popularity, it moved into the Arcade building in 1932, and became a full-fledged bookstore. In 1940, one year before the dedication of the Illini Union building, we received our current name: Illini Union Bookstore. In 1964, the Book Center opened in the Illini Union and offered a wide selection of general books. The Book Center was housed in what is now the Tech Zone and Quad Shop in the southwest corner of the Union. After decades of living apart, the Bookstore and Book Center became roommates. We moved into our current space on August 8, 1994 at the Wright and Daniel Street location, the current Illini Union Bookstore. We currently have partnerships with the I-Card, PNC Bank, Amazon, Starbucks and Law School as we endeavor to fully meet the needs of communities.
Specialties
We are the Official Bookstore for the University of Illinois. We serve the Students, Faculty and Staff of the University, as well as the Champaign-Urbana Community.