The Harvard/MIT Cooperative Society (or The Coop) is a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based cooperative serving the Harvard University and MIT campuses.
It was founded as the Harvard Cooperative in 1882 to supply books, school supplies, and coal. MIT, following its move from Boston to Cambridge in 1916, invited the Coop to open a branch of the store at the Institute, where its presence remains ever since. Today the store is an important resource for local students and their families to purchase textbooks, college logo merchandise, dorm room necessities, and so on. The store also offers the framing of diplomas, the ordering of class rings and the rental of graduation gowns.
According to published information, only students, faculty, alumni and employees of MIT, Harvard, Radcliffe College, Wheelock College, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and the personnel of the hospitals affiliated with the Harvard Medical School are eligible to join. A valid Harvard or MIT I.D. number is required to open a membership.
Membership is $1 annually. The cooperative disburses its annual profits as a rebate to members.[1] Members may also purchase a Coop Diary, a little black bound pocket diary, academic year calendar, and address book.
The Coop stores are managed by Barnes & Noble.