Most of our local college students have figured out that we don't stock textbooks, but far too many still drop by in a vain attempt to do research. And then they're stunned that I'm not pulling up any books in stock about "fraud in not-for-profit organizations" or "gypsy history in the seventeenth century."
Sorry, yes, it's a big bookstore, but size alone doesn't make us a library. Want bestselling fiction? Sure! History books with broad appeal? Right this way. Five sources for that university level term paper due this week? Not a chance. There's a library at the university and a public library downtown -- good luck, and consider periodicals.
The number of students at the local uni who don't even seem to know how to start a research project just kills me.
I second that: the enormous state university just happens to be in my town, and every few months at midterm, finals, etc, we get flocks of them shuffling in to do that last minute paper. Then they find out that we have no available plugins for their laptops. Or books on their subject. Or scientific journals detailing the effects of hormones on, say, spider monkeys.
What's worse is that there are about ten coffee shops within walking distance of the University libary, which is open longer than we are, and all of downtown has free wireless, etc. These kids drive all the way across town and out into the retail strips... why?
I used to get this all the time in bookstore and in the college library. Added to that the students who don't know what book or periodical they need because they either can't be bothered to do research or are too lazy, but expect the bookseller/librarian to listen to the details of their essay and tell them everything the need and then pick out the books for them... In the bookstore we still had to be semi-polite, but in the library we were allowed to tell them we can help you find a specific book but we're not here to research your essay for you - next, please
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Sorry, yes, it's a big bookstore, but size alone doesn't make us a library. Want bestselling fiction? Sure! History books with broad appeal? Right this way. Five sources for that university level term paper due this week? Not a chance. There's a library at the university and a public library downtown -- good luck, and consider periodicals.
The number of students at the local uni who don't even seem to know how to start a research project just kills me.
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She also has other Harry Potter icons (as well as Narnia and Goonies) at her icon comm veggie_patch. /shameless plug
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What's worse is that there are about ten coffee shops within walking distance of the University libary, which is open longer than we are, and all of downtown has free wireless, etc. These kids drive all the way across town and out into the retail strips... why?
I'm guessing it's the frappucinos.
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