As the first weeks of the new semester have gone by, there seems to be one thing all students have been giving their opinions on – Hamline’s textbook rental services.

“I feel for the staff,” sophomore Cassia Egan-Lawless said, “but it’s just annoying when you get a confirmation email saying your books are ready when they actually aren’t so they turn you away and you have to go back multiple times not knowing if you’re actually going to walk away with all your books.”

The emails that indicated books were ready for pickup listed a quantity by each book. Books with a 0 next to them are not ready for pickup, however books with a 1 are currently in stock in the bookstore. Many other students have been having similar issues, but without much information being given to them from the bookstore.

“I get that they moved… places, but where are my books, man?,” first-year Troy Burgin said.

The lack of books for only part of a class has been a common trend among students’ issues as well.

“I got most of my books on the first day, besides my chem book and a book for language arts,” first-year Nicholas Grivna said. “They got me my chem book about two days after classes started, but I still don’t have the book for language arts. I don’t need it yet though, at least.”

Even after a week into the semester, students are still without a book in some of their classes.

“I didn’t receive all of my books by the first day of classes. I had to go back three additional times, twice in one day. I still do not have all of my books and classes have been in full swing for a week and a half,” senior Kyle Knapp said in an email interview.

Student affairs did send out an email on Feb. 2 stating that there are delays at the bookstore and that if there is any problems that students should contact student affairs. It also spoke to ACTC students stating that they may need special attention.

“The email that Patti Klein sent out made me feel better,” Knapp said. “I was at the point where I wanted to lodge a complaint so that it was on Student Affairs’ radar. Ultimately, I was disappointed in a service that, while frustrating in the past, has saved me time and money. It helped ease my frustration, knowing that someone is monitoring the situation.”

Dean of Students and Title IX Coordinator Patti Klein has issued an email to students with a statement from Follett asking students to be in contact with them with any issues, with a special note to ACTC students. Klein has also asked to be included in complaint emails sent to the bookstore, as she sees the bookstore’s problems to be her own problems as well.

Regardless of the reasons behind the issues, students have been experiencing a difficult start to their semester resulting from late books. For now, students just have to hope that their books will find their way soon, and that this won’t be a recurring issue in future semesters.