January 2012
1 post
7 tags
"Gets along well with others"
So, in a troubled economy, especially in a college town, jobs - especially part time jobs - are at a premium. The children’s department at the bookshop where I work recently advertised for a part-time position, posting with flyers on the doors to the store, and on Craigslist. They were accepting applications Tuesday through Saturday, the dates of which were specified on the job posting. It...
September 2011
4 posts
4 tags
The Grass Is Always Greener
Due to split up of shipments from the publisher, we are missing 300 copies of the book for the 600-person Introductory Chem class. Students have been telling us that the professor has e-mailed them to tell them to read the first two chapters before class tomorrow.
Customer: So the Chem books are coming tomorrow?
Me: By 3 o’clock.
Customer: Is there any way I can pre-pay for them now...
4 tags
We actually got the book in a week ago, we just...
(Customer had previously come up looking for a Genetics book, and when I magically guessed his course number I pointed him to where the class would be shelved.)
Customer: So it wasn’t there, and the tag said that more would be coming in Friday, but do you have them now?
Me: No, you just have to check back Friday afternoon.
2 tags
Yes, downstairs means downstairs
Student walks up with a book in-hand.
“So can I pay for this-“
“Downstairs.”
(Looks confused, gestures behind him towards the Computer Department) “So, wait, can I pay upstairs, or downstairs?”
“Downstairs.”
5 tags
You Have To Finish Your Sentence For Me To Help...
“So um, I was uh wondering if you guys had like these books… it uh.. . Borders used to have it but now they’re closed and, uh -“
“What kind of books are they?”
Öh, um they’re like uh these Brain Test books, uh like puzzles -“
“They’re on the shelf behind me.
July 2011
1 post
4 tags
April 2011
2 posts
4 tags
Educators: Holding the future in their hands...
(Customer walks up, looks like a 2nd or 3rd year student, holding a piece of messily folded paper.)
Customer: (Starting to unfold paper.) Hi, I’m teaching a class this quarter and wanted to get information about ordering books for it.
[Note: It is now the second week of classes in a 10-week term.]
Me: You’re teaching the class this quarter?
Customer: Yeah.
Me: OK, well this is...
4 tags
What is the "Information Desk" for?
(Customer hesitantly walks up towards the Coursebook Information Desk.)
Me: Hi, did you have a question?
Customer: (Seriously.) Yeah…you can’t tell me information about courses that I’m in that I need to know, right?
Me: Well if you can tell me the department and course number, I can tell you something.
Customer: Environmental Studies 23.
Me: OK, well I can tell you that it...
February 2011
5 posts
12 tags
Books Without Borders: A Toast
Last week Borders announced it was closing 200 locations nation-wide for bankruptcy - including the one local here.
So a thing you learn very quickly when working at textbooks is that Amazon is the enemy. They sell books below cost when new, as they’re not really actually making their money from their book sales, as well as brokering the private used deals- which is all good for the...
5 tags
True story: Being psychic is part of the job
At the bookshop Information Desk…
Customer: (Walks up, fixed my co-worker with a determined look that says “There is no possible way you can help me, but I am going to bug you anyway.”) So I’m looking for a book, and I don’t remember the title or the author.
Co-worker: Do you know what the book is about?
Customer: I think it has something to do with flying dogs?...
5 tags
4 tags
Maybe there's a paper or something. . .?
So there is a class that is taught under both the History and Literature departments on the Holocaust, with about 200+ students. One of the very first books the students had to read was Survival in Auschwitz which, not surprisingly, we sold out of very quickly.
Student: Hi, I was looking for Survival in Auschwitz? I didn’t see any on the shelf…
My Boss: Oh yeah, we sold out of...
January 2011
20 posts
6 tags
In case you thought this was a local problem. . .
So the bookstore belongs to NACS - National Association of College Stores. They have a listserv for bookstore managers and buyers around the country.
My boss sent this to me, from the Manager of another bookstore, to put up here:
Our Financial Aid office gives books grants with the proviso that the money be spent here at the store and for books only. Last night a woman came in with her grant...
7 tags
You don't call, you don't e-mail, I feel like we...
This is not the first time this has happened…
Customer: Hi, so I pre-paid last week for a Physics lab manual, and I never got a phone call or an e-mail.
Me: So this was for Physics 6L or 6M?
Customer: Yes.
Me: That’s because we have those ready in one or two days, so we tell you to just come back in a couple of days. We don’t call or e-mail you.
Customer: Oh.
Me: So if you...
5 tags
Don't you still need the book for class?
Customer: (Storms up to my counter, holding a book and a receipt, speaking very fast) So they said downstairs that I need the card to get my refund and I don’t have my card so they sent me up to you.
Me: Uh… .
Customer: (Showing me the book and receipt, still upset.) I pre-paid for this and they got a Used copy, so said I could get a partial refund.
Me: (Understanding.) Oh, and you...
4 tags
This happens more often than you'd think/hope. . .
Customer: Hi, do you have any more of the reader?
Me: …
Customer: …for American Studies 80E? I don’t see any there.
Me: That’s because we’re sold out. You can do an individual pre-pay order, and we’ll have one ready for you by Thursday afternoon.
Customer: (Turning to leave.) I’ll just come back Thursday then.
Me: We won’t have them for you...
5 tags
Sometimes Professors have a sense of humor. . .
And also of Reality. :P Course order received today:
REQUEST DATE: 1/25/11 TERM/YEAR: Spring 2011 DEPARTMENT: MCD Biology COURSE #: Bio 110 EST. ENROLL: Enrollment capacity is 24
_____________________________________________________________________________ AUTHOR: Alberts et al TITLE: Molecular Biology of the Cell EDITION: 5th YEAR: 2008 PAPERBACK/HARDCOVER?: some of both? I...
Sometimes People Call Us On the Phone...
When customers special order a book through us we generally end up calling them and leaving them a message when their book arrives. One customer decided to call us back and had an interesting idea about how the bookstore works:
Me: Hi, this is the coursebook department.
Customer: Hi!
Me: How can I help you?
Customer: I’m checking in.
Me (incredulously): Checking in?
Customer: Yeah,...
5 tags
3 tags
I feel bad, 'cause he was a nice kid, but. . .
Customer: (Walks up with two readers - Vol 1 and Vol 2 for the same class.) Hi, so I’m in ISM 50. And this (indicating red reader, that we’ve had on the shelf for two weeks) is volume two, which I have…
Me: Yes?
Customer: So, this (indicating green reader, which just came in due to copy right issues) is volume one?
Me: Yes.
Customer: So…do I need volume one? Or…
...
5 tags
You know there's a problem in the system when. . .
… the publisher can’t tell you any more information than the website has.
So part of the process of getting books in for a class is that before we order we call the publisher to check on the price of the book, and the availability of it.
As orders for publishers tend to include multiple titles for multiple courses, this is useful as it allows us to be able to check with the professor...
5 tags
It's not just the customers. . .
A lot of the time students will come into the bookstore and assume certain things about how this is supposed to work, certain things that I don’t actually judge/blame them for. Things like, as the campus bookstore, we would naturally have the books for their classes that they are taking on the campus. That we will have their books on hand, and know what books are required.
(I’m not...
4 tags
How the internet works
Customer: Hey, do you guys have Slugmail? [REMOTELY hosted school e-mail account that you access through a webpage.]
Me & Coworker: …
Customer: (Gesturing towards the computer department, where computers are hooked up to the internet) Like, do those computers have Slugmail?
Me: Well, those computers are connected to the internet, so yeah.
Customer: But do they have Slugmail?
Me:...
3 tags
Yes. Yes it is.
Customer: Hi, I don’t see any of the lab readers for Physics 6L.
Me: We are currently sold out. You can pay for it now and we’ll have it ready by tomorrow afternoon.
Customer: (Not pleased.) Really? OK…I guess I have to. But my lab’s this afternoon.
Me: …
Customer: But that’s my fault.
3 tags
Try Macy's
Customer: (Holding up a book.) Excuse me, do you know if you have any of these used, where they might be?
Me: No, if there were any used they’d be on the shelf where you could see them.
Customer: Oh. Damn. (Thinks a moment.) Do you know of anywhere else I could find this cheaper?
Me: … . No.
Customer: Oh. Thank you! (Walks away.)
3 tags
There's this big piece of paper attached to your...
Customer: (Plonks new Film textbook down on the counter.) So I’d like to return this book and they told me I had to come to you for approval.
Me: OK, well did you drop the class?
Customer: No, I’m still enrolled in the class.
Me: OK, so why do you want to return the book?
Customer: Because I bought a cheaper copy online!
Me: … OK, well unfortunately the return deadline was...
3 tags
We hide all the used books. . .
Customer: (Looking on the shelf where there are only new books.) You don’t have any used books back there?
Co-worker: If we did they’d be on the shelf.
Guess how many times a day we get to say this?
4 tags
"Sold-out" means we have it if you pay for it. . .
So the campus copy center prints out “Readers,” photocopied collections of copy righted material - individual chapters out of books that professors don’t want to use the whole book of, journal articles, out of print books, etc. The professors build them individually for the classes with the copy center and then they get sold through the book store.
Since it’s printed-out...
4 tags
You're right, I'm lying
Customer: Hi, I’m looking for the Biostatistics book.
Me: OK, what department and course number is that class?
Customer: Uhh…AMS 7.
Me: OK, we’re actually sold out o-
Customer: I don’t believe you.
Me: Um, excuse me?
Customer: I don’t believe you.
(I look at him for a second.)
Me: Well it is in fact sold out. You can do a pre-pay order and have one in about a...
6 tags
Polygamy, Polyamory, and Marketing
So I also work at a local, family-owned, independent retail bookstore, as well as in the textbook department at the university bookstore. The latter we will call textbooks or the bookstore. The former let’s call the Bookshop… for no particular reason…
The Bookshop is currently undergoing quarterly (maybe? or biannual?) returns of unsold and slow moving books. One of the hard...
Customer: (Very bored, monotone voice, not meeting my eyes) Hi, I need to order a book for [class] that I guess is sold out.
Me: OK… Are you looking for the reader?
Customer: Yeah - no. (Awkward pause while we both look at each other. She looks confused and glances over at the shelf.) Yeah, I guess. Whichever is the one that is sold out.
Me: OK…
If between going to class for a...