This feminist bookstore, which I support with my whole little womyn-loving being, sent email pleas for me to order coursebooks there and to urge students to shop there, not online, because feminist bookstore is part of community, does all kinds of events, etc.--unlike big online chain that threatens to eat it up!
So of course I ordered books for my seminar there and forced little dears to walk the extra blocks to shop there.
Yay feminism!
Then I went in today to pick up my "desk copies" (free copies that instructors get when they order the books--just one of our little scams) and...
Feminist Clerk: That will be $35.00
YSA: (having to stand on tip-toe to see over feminist counter) Not free?
Feminist Clerk: You have to say when you place the order whether you want desk copies. You did not say when you ordered that you wanted desk copies.
YSA: But why would I not want desk copies?
Feminist Clerk: You did not state that when you ordered the books.
YSA: ?? Fine. I will get them from the library.
I go to library--books not on shelf!--realize that that is because I placed them on course reserve, consider reading own books on course reserve in cage-like reserve reading room, realize that own students will see this and shreds of dignity will be stripped away, resolve to try to borrow books from grad student friends.
The moral: community, feminism--it's all out the window if you don't explicitly state, in writing, that you want desk copies.
