NIU faculty and students should buy any books still needed for this semester as the Holmes Student Center Bookstore begins overstock returns to vendors today.

Assistant Manager Lois Kreidle said anyone planning to use a book later than that should call the bookstore, which will hold a book for three days.

Although the bookstore orders books individually at no extra charge when needed, Kreidle said this results in higher operating costs and waiting time. She said the bookstore receives a full refund for the returned overstock, which helps cut costs.

Late faculty book requests and other factors affect the buyback price of used books. Kreidle said the bookstore buys back books that are requested for courses, paying one-half their current known retail value.

Kreidle said students can try selling their other books to outside wholesalers which come to NIU from Nebraska and Missouri to buy unwanted used books and resell them to distributors when demand increases.

Kreidle said the wholesalers pay varying rates for the books, depending on their speculation of future demand, but seldom pay more than one-third of retail value.