Students wait in line to sell back books

Bookstore "Buy-Back" Successful in Many Ways

By: Amelia Hawkins

Posted: 2/1/07

While Utica College students had some spare time in between final exams at the end of the fall semester, many spent that time selling their textbooks back to the bookstore.

Approximately $104,000 was given back to students for their books last semester, which is a record amount, according to Lauren Partyka, the store's manager.

Partyka attributed the success of the buy-back to the cooperation of faculty members that turned in their book orders in October, which was when they were due. Book orders list the books that are necessary for classes in the following semester.

Textbooks bought by students in the fall that are also on the lists of faculty members for the spring semester may be sold back to the bookstore, if they are in good condition. According to Partyka, their binding cannot be ripped, and pages cannot be torn out."

Another factor that led to the successful buy-back was the large student turnout. Each day during the week, students waited in long lines to get to the cash register. As students waited, many free razors and gum were given to them by bookstore staff members.

Partyka noticed that the number of freshmen who sold their books back was higher than usual. The great turnout may have been caused by advertising. News of the buy-back appeared in "Tangerine" articles, and was also spread by word-of-mouth.

Finals week was an especially busy time for student workers at the bookstore, who balanced their time between studying for finals, helping with the buy-back at the bookstore, and also assisting staff members at the Hartwick College bookstore, who desperately needed help during their own buy-back week.

After Partyka heard about the unexpected death of the Hartwick College bookstore assistant manager, which was caused by meningitis, she decided to send some assistance. "I offered for my employees to go out there," she said.

Each day during the week, one or two UC students drove to Oneonta to help. One of the students was senior Annie Thiel. She immediately acknowledged that a lot of work was necessary at Hartwick. She said, "That there were piles of books and you couldn't walk anywhere near the register." The Hartwick bookstore had very few student workers, and Thiel saw that those who did work there were overwhelmed.

Bethany Stephens, a junior, also went to Hartwick to lend a hand. She said that she knew that it would be a "big responsibility," since the Hartwick staff would heavily rely on her help as they faced long lines of students waiting to sell back their books. Not only were the workers at the Hartwick bookstore swamped with work, but they also had to deal with the tragic fatality of a co-worker at the same time.

Stephens said that she knew it would be hard going into an environment with this type of loss. Despite the situation's difficulty, members of both college staffs were able to work together and get the job done.

Partyka was proud of her six staff members who helped at Hartwick during buy-back week, and rightfully called the experience a "very humanitarian effort."