Weeks of training prepared them to face last week’s massive crowds.

Move-in weekend typically is one of the most hectic times of the year at NIU, and the campus’ two bookstores are no exception.

“This is the busiest time of the semester,” said Lee Blakenship, VCB owner and manager.

It’s also time for the biggest of students’ book-related gripes: money.

“I think it’s totally ridiculous that they are charging $112 for a used book,” parent Melvin Tolar said.

Sophomore journalism major Sophia Cardenas agreed.

“I thought the books were way too expensive,” she said.

Blakenship sympathized, but there isn’t much he can do.

“I understand; I was once a student myself,” he said. “Over the 35 years I have been doing this, I don’t think books have gone up any more than any other item. Usually, the prices marked are close to what we have to pay for them. We work on a very small margin here.”

Part of that margin goes to paying employees – most of which are students – who undergo training in the weeks before school begins.

“We advise them to treat people as they would want to be treated,” Blakenship said. “It should be a fun experience for them and the customer.”

Mitch Kielb, acting director of the Holmes Student Center, said the University Bookstore experiences a lot of turnover.

“We have a lot of new employees,” Kielb said. “They are doing pretty well, but they learn as they go sometimes.”

Besides prices, Cardenas had a pleasant experience.

“The employees were friendly and helpful,” she said.

Kielb suggests that some students are better off waiting before they purchase books for some classes.

“I think they should be careful to buy books that they think they are going to need,” he said. “Sometimes it’s best to assess whether they need a book and, in fact, wait until they have attended a class or looked at a syllabus.”

Blakenship cautioned students to look at the books they’re buying.

“The students should remember to take advantage of the used books available,” he said.

Another frequent complaint among book buyers is the unavailability of some required books. Both Blakenship and Kielb cited a variety of reasons for this, including late book orders by professors and new editions taking longer to arrive.

Sept. 13 is the last day for guaranteed refunds at both stores. Receipts are required.