2008 Woodie Awards
Hitting the books
As the summer semester winds down, Textbook Services prepares for the fall textbook rush
Sydney Elliot
Issue date: 7/30/08 Section: News
Senior special education major Ashley Guntel of Macon has spent the summer in the overflowing stacks of books as an employee of Textbooks Services.
Throughout the summer Guntel has worked to log new books into the system, put new textbooks away and help students return and check out their textbooks.
"During the summer it's not so busy, so it's pretty much just (student workers) out there," Guntel said. "I worked the last return week of the spring, and it was really busy … (students) ask for a lot of help then."
Guntel began working at Textbook Services shortly before the summer semester.
"Here we have our own freedom, and it's really nice," Guntel said. "Everyone gets along really well, and the boss is really nice."
Chris Keck of Belleville is a graduate of Eastern Illinois University and is taking continued education courses at SIUE. Keck said he thinks the textbook rental system is "a good thing," but had one question.
"I wonder what happens to all those books that the students actually return," Keck said. "They somehow vanish from the shelves."
Director of Textbook Services Bonnie Elmore said books no longer in use by the university are first handed out to departments who want them. The leftover books are then compiled in a bid out list for used book companies or book buyers as a way to get some money back, since Textbook Services does not receive any money from the state.
"Our money comes straight from (student) fees," Elmore said. "So any money we make goes right back into the budget. We work really hard to keep student fees down."
Textbook rental fees have increased from $9.55 last year to $10.25 for the coming year, according to Elmore. About four years ago Textbook Services went over budget because book prices had increased approximately 26 percent. With university budgets determined so far in advance, it caught them off guard.
"We got caught in the red, but that cost never gets passed onto the student," Elmore said.
Throughout the summer Guntel has worked to log new books into the system, put new textbooks away and help students return and check out their textbooks.
"During the summer it's not so busy, so it's pretty much just (student workers) out there," Guntel said. "I worked the last return week of the spring, and it was really busy … (students) ask for a lot of help then."
Guntel began working at Textbook Services shortly before the summer semester.
"Here we have our own freedom, and it's really nice," Guntel said. "Everyone gets along really well, and the boss is really nice."
Chris Keck of Belleville is a graduate of Eastern Illinois University and is taking continued education courses at SIUE. Keck said he thinks the textbook rental system is "a good thing," but had one question.
"I wonder what happens to all those books that the students actually return," Keck said. "They somehow vanish from the shelves."
Director of Textbook Services Bonnie Elmore said books no longer in use by the university are first handed out to departments who want them. The leftover books are then compiled in a bid out list for used book companies or book buyers as a way to get some money back, since Textbook Services does not receive any money from the state.
"Our money comes straight from (student) fees," Elmore said. "So any money we make goes right back into the budget. We work really hard to keep student fees down."
Textbook rental fees have increased from $9.55 last year to $10.25 for the coming year, according to Elmore. About four years ago Textbook Services went over budget because book prices had increased approximately 26 percent. With university budgets determined so far in advance, it caught them off guard.
"We got caught in the red, but that cost never gets passed onto the student," Elmore said.
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