At UM, books are just one of the hundreds of products students, members of the university community and visitors can find.
Right in the heart of the University Center, the bookstore offers customers a vast array of Hurricane merchandise and apparel.
More importantly, the bookstore seems to keep up with society’s flow – updating clothes, electronics, magazines, books and other merchandise to fit with current popular trends and technology.
“The UM Bookstore staff stays in tune with the campus and community issues,’’ Director Wendy Smith said. “Behind the bookstore, there is an army of buyers, techies and other support people who provide this store with new and used textbooks in astonishing quantities.”
Now, it keeps up with the current technology trends more than ever, providing customers with a website, www.miami.edu/bookstore, which allows students to make all of their necessary purchases online instead of on location.
Students and visitors are granted easy access to hundreds of more products that are not available in the store. It also informs viewers about current offers and events.
“Ordering my books online has made my life so much easier,” senior Aileen Schefer said. “The website is just so much easier all around. You don’t have to spend forever searching for your textbooks in the store.”
At a typical visit to the library section, customers can get copies of popular gossip magazines, ink for their printer or jewelry for a special someone.
“The products offered in the store are endless – apart from the core textbooks needed for class – we offer professional reference titles, school and dorm supplies, general reading books, computer software, UM apparel and gifts,” Smith said.
Students also have the ability to use their ‘Cane Cards as a purchasing method when at the bookstore.
“They say Visa’s accepted everywhere, but at Miami, the weapon of choice comes in the form of the ultra-trendy personalized ‘Cane Card,” junior William Frohbose said. “It’s both chic and dependable.”
To avoid lines when buying textbooks, find out ahead of time which you need and buy them before classes start. A year-round buyback program allows students to return many of their textbooks to the bookstore for money back.
The bookstore is open 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays.