Books for Cores Sold Out at Coop

When Ben D. Tanen '97 decided on the third day of shopping period to enroll in Foreign Cultures 56: "Jewish Life in Eastern Europe," he went to the Coop to buy the required texts.

But Tanen, like many other students seeking books for core classes encountered only empty shelves.

As the first non-shopping week of the semester opens, eight large Core classes have nothing but empty shelves at the Coop.

"There were maybe seven or eight books I needed to buy for the course, and none of them were there," Tanen said. "I was upset, but not surprised."

The book shortages are due to low Core Office enrollment estimates this semester, said Director of the Core Program Susan W. Lewis. "The estimates are based on the previous year's enrollment," Lewis said.

And it is not clear how long it will be before students can purchase the books they need.

Coop Customer Service Representative Richard M. Cooper said the Coop only reorders books when it receives requests for them, and this semester they have not received many complaints from students, he said.

And for the books that were reordered, Copper said he could not predict when the Coop would receive new shipments.

"You never really know. Some books come in early, some take weeks more than you could have guessed," Cooper said. "Students should just keep checking."

Florence Corliss Lamont Professor of Divinity Paul D. Hanson said the Core Office "tends to be too conservative" in its estimates.

The Core office estimated enrollment in his course, Foreign Cultures 40: "The Cultural Legacy of the Ancient Near East," would be around 120, Hanson said. About 260 students enrolled the course.

Associate Professor of Celtic Languages andLiterature John T. Koch, who teaches Literatureand Arts C-53: "The Celtic Heroic Age," said theCore Office estimated enrollment in his course at35 or 40 students. "Currently there are about 130students in the class," Koch said.

Said Alex C. Saltonstall '97, who was not ableto purchase the books for Koch's course, said "Iwas annoyed, crushed in fact.

Associate Professor of Celtic Languages andLiterature John T. Koch, who teaches Literatureand Arts C-53: "The Celtic Heroic Age," said theCore Office estimated enrollment in his course at35 or 40 students. "Currently there are about 130students in the class," Koch said.

Said Alex C. Saltonstall '97, who was not ableto purchase the books for Koch's course, said "Iwas annoyed, crushed in fact.