UpDate - Vol. 11, No. 1, Page 5
September 5, 1991
Bookstore serves thousands on first day of semester

     The scent of fresh books hot off the press lingers in the air.
The shelves are stacked high with new and used textbooks and the
supply of crates, notebooks, posters, extension cords and other
dorm/school necessities is fully stocked and ready for the fall
student rush.
     "The fall opening is the busiest time of year," said Paul
Hanke, director of the University Bookstore. "We start planning and
buying as early as March and April."
     The rush, which began in late August and will run through
mid-October, required the bookstore to hire an extra 100 temporary
employees for the onslaught of customers, Hanke said.
     With over 3,000 text titles and aproximately 200,000 books,
the store will handle more than 6,000 transactions on the first day
of classes alone, he said.
     Hanke said almost all of the employees will be working
overtime. Some as much as 12 hours a day. "As long as it goes
smoothly, it is just a matter of endurance," he said. Problems
arise when the customer load is not handled quickly enough or when
books run out or are late coming in. However, 14 checkout stations
with two employees at each, extended store hours and careful book
ordering should help ease the initial strain.
     "Buying books may be somewhat more difficult this year because
of a change in shelf cards and a different floor layout," he said.
     This year, English books will be listed under "ENGL" rather
than "E," for example, which may make things confusing for students
accustomed to the old abbreviations.
     But assistance is available in the textbook section including
a large textbook guide map, handheld maps, a six-step direction
list on how to find books and helpful student employees.
     Searching for books and then spending a bundle on them can be
irritating, but Hanke said students are friendly and courteous
overall.
     "Students today present themselves well, " he said. "They are
interested in getting an education, and they understand it is our
job to help them do that."
     Graduate student Brian Mann, who has worked at the bookstore
for about a year, said he has met many new people who later
recognize him on campus because he helped them find their books.
     "The worst situations are with the people who come in without
any information," he said. "They have no schedule, no course number
and don't know the professor's name but still expect us to help
them find their books."
     Ten-year employee Kay Kelly remembers the old bookstore, which
was only one third the size of the current one. "Fall rush is
always hectic," she said, " because of all of the new students
coming in who don't know the ropes. Some don't even know how to
write out a check."
     Once the semester gets underway, the store will be kept busy
with special promotions, as well as customers on campus for
football games, Parents Day, then the holidays, winter session and
spring rush.
     "There's no relief until March," Hanke said.
     Then it will be time to start planning for the fall rush in
1992.
                                        - Gabriela Marmo