Campus Shop delayed in supplying books
This year, the Campus Shop had more of a problem than usual supplying textbooks to students. But more than just the bookstore contributed to this delay: students, professors, the Campus Shop and the publishing houses all play a role in the textbook cycle.
Troubles with many of these contributors led to the unusual book shortage. Professor Clarise Nixon of the English department had half of her class missing their textbooks well into the second week of school.
“This [shortage] is unusual. I’ve been working here for seven years and never experienced this problem,” Nixon said.
Senior English major Anecia Ascalon went to the Campus Shop, and she was surprised by the lack of textbooks. “It’s frustrating that I expect to be able to buy my textbooks, but three weeks after classes start they’re still not there,” Ascalon said.
The source of this problem is threefold: a great deal of students registered late for classes, professors delayed in requesting books and a major publishing house switched their systems during the summer. Danita Payne, the store manager at the Campus Shop, said the switch in the systems “wreaked havoc in campus bookshops all across the country.”
The Campus Shop requested fall adoptions, the booklist from the professors, on April 13 of last school year. Due to new professors and/or new books, those adoptions were delayed. Beyond that, a larger number of students signed up for specific classes later than normal. Both of these factors meant the Campus Shop was not able to order books on time or gather enough in time for the start of classes.
When these factors were finalized and enrollment increased, the Campus Shop “worked overtime to get reorders done,” Payne said.
Some students, like Jordan Cherne, senior business and Spanish major, decided not to order books from Southern’s bookstore. “I will never buy my books from the Campus Shop. I prefer to buy my books online,” said Cherne.
Others, like Tara Robinson and Seth Edens, junior mass communication major and senior business finance major respectively, buy their books from the Campus Shop prior to the start of classes. Edens said he got his books a week before classes and had no problems.
Payne said that one way ordering books from the Campus Shop could be easier would be if students used the textbook reservation, which began July 26 of this year. Payne recommends students go to saucampusshop.com to look up their textbook list, compare prices with other online sources and decide which books to order from Southern’s bookstore.
After making their online reservations with the Campus Shop, students can skip the line and pick up their pre– ordered books. This method ensures books are in stock and ready for easy pick-up. When books are preordered, the Campus Shop can easily track their inventory and know when to restock.
With an understanding of the multistep process of ordering and receiving textbooks, students and staff can be more prepared for future semesters.
Image credit: Joseph Hyde