Ordering books online or in campus bookstore

This archived article was written by: Heather Myers

One of the first things most students do when classes start is buy books. There are two ways most CEU students go about getting the correct books: they go to the CEU bookstore and purchase them or go online and order them.
Many students say that the bookstore is too expensive and they buy their books at amazon.com or half.com. “I bought them [books] online to save money because of the ridiculous prices the bookstore charges,” said Nick Critchlow a freshman who bought his books off of half.com. According to Les Bowen, “The only problem I’ve ever had buying books online is once I got an edition so old it wouldn’t work for the class, but most of the time it works out okay.”
Some buy their books in the bookstore because it is faster. Carlie Golden, sophomore, bought her books in the bookstore because, “I didn’t have enough time to do it online.” Robert Hanson got his books on campus because, “it’s just easier.”
In order to buy books online students go to the bookstore and look at the books or the list in the front of the store and get the ISBNs. Many students are unaware of this and think that they are not allowed to write down the numbers, this is not true.
According to Glenna Gilson, director of the bookstore, “If you want to come in and write down the numbers you are welcome. We even have pens on the table with the list so you all you have to bring is something to write with.” Gilson does ask that students not open books wrapped in plastic to get the ISBN, because once the plastic is open the bookstore can only sell the book as used.
If someone asks for the list that has all of the classes and books, the bookstore has to give it up because they are a government institution. Weber State University was recently involved in a lawsuit with a local bookstore over not releasing the list. The bookstore in question used the Government Records Access and Management Act to obtain the list and the case was settled out of court.
WSU was also criticized for not offering the ISBNs on their website. Something that CEU does not offer either. But according to Gilson, she would not only like to put the books on the class schedule, she would eventually like to have the bookstore online so that those that wanted to buy their books in advance would have the opportunity to. She also thinks that alumni would appreciate the chance to buy clothing or office supplies with CEU’s logo or name on them. She hopes to get the bookstore online up and running as soon as the college acquires the technology to do so, hopefully within the next few years.