As AI becomes a bigger part of student learning and engagement, it’s also shaping the ways in which campus stores connect, communicate, and create.  

Campus stores have always been at the center of academic life, and they are the trusted place for course materials, campus spirit, and student support. Embracing AI helps them stay that way. From creative marketing ideas to time-saving tools, AI gives stores new ways to engage students and strengthen their role in the learning ecosystem. 

When I shared my session “Ditch the Dull: How AI Can Help You Get Creative with Your Bookstore” at this year’s MACS conference, I wasn’t sure how people would react. AI can be a touchy subject, sparking curiosity in some and a bit of fear in others.   

The excitement and curiosity at MACS reminded me why this conversation matters, and I was pleasantly surprised by the enthusiastic response. I came prepared to face much more negativity about using AI. Instead, I found a room full of interest and open-mindedness.  

AI isn’t here to take over our work; it’s here to make it stronger by helping us connect, create, and share experiences that bring our campuses to life.   

 From Fear to Curiosity 

It’s easy to understand why people worry about AI. We’ve seen the same reaction with nearly every major invention, from the weaving machine to the typewriter. Each one brought a wave of worry about lost jobs, authenticity, or creativity itself. But over time, we have learned something different. Innovation doesn’t erase creativity; it expands it.   

Creativity is the spark and innovation of the engine—the engine that provides the methods, technologies, and frameworks to bring imaginative ideas to life.   

AI follows the same pattern and is expanding the ways humans can create. Yes, it’s new. Yes, it’s evolving quickly. But it’s also full of potential to make our work more creative, efficient, and fun. 

Once we move past fear, we can start seeing AI for what it really is: a creative partner. 

Your New Creative Partner 

Gone are the days of staring down a blank page trying to come up with the perfect tagline or social post. 

AI is your new creative collaborator, and it’s ready to help you generate fresh concepts, craft themed sale ideas, or brainstorm the perfect name for that mascot-inspired merch line. To be clear, AI is not doing the work for you. You still make the final call and add the human touch that makes it feel authentic. AI just helps you get there faster, with less writer’s block, and maybe a few laughs along the way. 

Of course, AI isn’t a substitute for your brand’s voice or strategy. It can spark ideas, but your understanding of students and campus culture is what turns those ideas into effective campaigns. AI supports good marketing. It doesn’t replace the judgment behind it. 

Everyday Wins That Save Time 

AI isn’t only for the flashy stuff like marketing campaigns or design inspiration. It can help with the everyday tasks that quietly take up so much of our time and might not be as fun. 

Once you start exploring, you’ll notice something interesting: the magic isn’t in the tool; it’s in how you use it. Days of work can be done in mere hours or even minutes. 

AI can handle those tedious tasks such as drafting policies and updating store procedures.  When you can’t remember the syntax, AI can step in as your Excel expert and help you craft the right formulas in seconds. 

Long, boring documents can be summarized quickly, eliminating the need to comb through every paragraph just to find the essentials.   

 AI can also help with more strategic work, like drafting a campaign plan or organizing messaging for different student groups. You’re still in control. AI just gives you a faster starting point. 

 AI handles all those repetitive and time-consuming chores, and it opens space for the ideas that excite you.    

The Secret’s in the Prompt 

During my session, I shared this mantra over and over again: the key is in the prompting. 

You don’t have to be a tech expert to use AI well. You just have to know how to ask good questions. The more context you include, such as your school’s name, mascot, event theme, and tone, the better your results will be. 

Good prompts give AI the context it needs: your audience, goal, tone, and any parameters. Here’s a simple, best practice prompt that adds the necessary clarity: 

“You’re helping a campus store create student-friendly marketing. Write three upbeat, brand-aligned captions promoting our Spirit Week sale featuring the Tigers' mascot and the slogan ‘Show Your Stripes.’ Keep the tone fun but not cheesy and limit each caption to one sentence.” 

This is a starting point you can refine, so it sounds like your campus. Better prompts simply lead to better drafts.  

Real-World Creativity in Action 

At MACS, I shared a few of my favorite AI-inspired examples like “Cap Tasselton” and “Gettin’ Lucky.” They’re playful, a little unexpected, and exactly the kind of spark that gets students’ attention. 

These examples aren’t about technology for technology’s sake. They are about using new tools to bring more energy and personality into our campus stores and make the experience more fun for everyone who walks through the door. 

Why It Matters 

Those moments of creativity are just the beginning. Here’s why this shift in mindset matters.  

AI isn’t just a buzzword. It’s a tool we can all use right now. You don’t need special software or technical training; you just need curiosity. Start small, play around, and see the ideas it unlocks. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s exploration. Every experiment helps you find new ways to engage students, tell your story, and make your workload a little lighter and a lot more creative. 

As tools like Bookshelf+ show, AI done right can help students engage more deeply with their materials. Getting comfortable with AI now helps stores stay connected to that change and keep leading the way for students. 

 Closing Thoughts 

One of my favorite quotes about AI comes from Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft: 

“AI is not about replacing humans. It’s about amplifying human potential.” 

That’s exactly how I see it. AI doesn’t take away our creativity; it amplifies it. It gives us tools to try new things, stretch our ideas, and make our campuses more vibrant and connected than ever. 

So go ahead and ditch the dull. 
   
Be curious. Be bold. 
   
Your next great idea might just start with a single prompt. 
 

Editor’s Note: 
This guest post was written in collaboration with Laura Heger, the store manager at Commonwealth University, Bloomsburg. She attended this year’s MACS Indie Regional, and her session on AI sparked great discussion and creativity across the room.The perspectives and examples in this blog reflect her experience using AI in a campus store environment and highlight how store leaders are experimenting thoughtfully and creatively with these tools.