Most students know the experience of standing in line at the bookstores the first week of classes. Whether it takes 10 minutes or a few hours, it happens every semester. Students stand in line and purchase their books.

Four local bookstores all offer the chance for students to reserve books before school even begins.

Travis Tauber, assistant coordinator for Boomer Book Co. and marketing senior, said students can come in and fill out a form. Then students can come back in the fall and pick up their books in front of the store, without waiting inside in the long lines, he said.

"If you reserve your books, you have a better chance at getting them, and getting used books," he said.

At Boomer Book Co. and Sooner Textbooks, students do not have to pay for textbooks when ordered, unless they wish to, he said. Tauber said it would probably be better and pay when students pick up books to make sure they have the books that were ordered.

Jason Gentry, textbook manager at University Bookstore, said students have two options. The students can reserve their books, and pay when they pick them up or students can pre-pay and show an ID when they pick up their textbooks.

Gentry said he recommends reserving books, especially for freshmen when being on a new campus is hard enough. The lines at University Bookstore are not that bad. The bookstore opens 16 registers, and even with the longest lines that wrap around three times and go up the staircase, they can make it through in 12 minutes, he said.

Susan Porter, education junior, reserves her books for her classes. The week before school started, Porter said she waited one hour in line for her textbooks. After that experience, she only reserves her books.

If students reserve a book at University Bookstore, they can begin picking up textbooks on Aug. 1, Gentry said.

Ratcliffe's Textbooks office manager Charissa Siebert said students can pre-pay or reserve without paying. However, if students don't pick up their books by the first day of school, the books are up for grabs, she said.

Siebert said the earlier students order their books, the better. A student has a better chance at getting used books as well as ordering books that the bookstores do not provide. Ratcliffe's allows students to begin picking up textbooks on Aug. 1, she said.

Health majors can pre-order their books as well since most bookstores do not carry their specialty books, she said.

Siebert said students can also buy one or two books at a time if money is an issue until the first day of classes. Ratcliffe's Textbooks will call the students when they are ready to pick up and to remind the student to pick them up before they go back on the shelves.

Ratcliffe's motto is "I'm used, cheap and available," Siebert said. She said Ratcliffe's stands behind getting used books and accommodating the students on whatever they need.

There are no fees at any of the bookstores to reserve textbooks early. Students can call, e-mail, or come in person to reserve books for the fall.
hello there & you too