When Scholastic Inc. contracts with area schools to put on book fairs this year, the publishing company will bring the books from its Jefferson City distribution center.
Previously, Scholastic’s operations in St. Louis serviced Mid-Missouri book fairs.
Scholastic’s new Book Fairs Division adds 30 new full-time jobs, some of which still are being filled, said Michelle Clark, Scholastic’s senior operations manager. Scholastic is Jefferson City’s largest private employer, with about 1,800 employees.
The Jefferson City Area Chamber of Commerce applauded Scholastic for the addition.
“Any time that you have an expansion of a product line that brings jobs, that’s what it’s all about,” said Shaun Sappenfield, the chamber’s existing business manager.
The company’s St. Louis facility will keep its Book Fairs Division, which is one of about 60 the company has around the nation to provide books to 127,000 fairs a year, Clark said.
The new division is operating out of a 40,000-square-foot area in Scholastic’s building off East McCarty Street. Built in 1968, the building is one of three Scholastic now uses for its book distribution and customer service operations.