With the fall semester underway, the demand for school supplies on campus, including textbooks, has risen significantly.

The University Supply Store, commonly known as the SUPe Store, is The University of Alabama’s one-stop shop for everything incoming freshmen and returning upperclassmen need to prepare for class. The store currently has four locations: the Ferguson Center, Tutwiler Hall, the Bryant Museum and the School of Law.

Teresa Shreve, director of the SUPe Store, said all locations have varying hours to accommodate students. The main store at the Ferguson Center will be undergoing expansion and renovation this year, Shreve said.

As the University grows, the back-to-school rush has resulted in long lines and crowding. To decrease the checkout time for students, the SUPe Store has increased its normally 48-person staff across the campus.

“The store hires extra staff to assist with preparing for the book rush as well as assisting customers at the start of each semester. We enjoy assisting the students and parents, answering their questions and welcoming them to the Bama family, and we see how the store plays a vital part in the University’s mission of serving students,” Shreve said.

While some students still experience long lines and sold-out books depending on what times of the day they visit the store, other students have found that the lines were manageable.

“It was wonderful; I didn’t have to wait in any lines,” said Alexis Edwards, a freshman majoring in communication studies. “I came in and the woman was very helpful. She helped me get all my books, then I got in line. It was very quick. I was in and out in less than 10 minutes.”

Some students also found the process for buying books at the SUPe Store simpler than other alternatives.

“It was really easy. I just looked for them myself, and I did not need any help or anything. It was OK,” Laurie Williams, a first-year graduate student in human development and family studies, said. “It was really simple and straight forward.”

One criticism of the SUPe Store for some students is the prices and how they compare to other retailers.

“I think that it is a great place. It is probably a little expensive. A girl just bought a binder for $5, and it was probably $1 at Wal-Mart, but other than that it is a cool place,” Edwards said.

Antonia Hoye, a freshman majoring in nursing, said she was pleased overall with her experience at the SUPe Store.

“It seems really nice,” Hoye said. “I am glad they have different supplies other than just books and things other than just supplies. It’s a nice store to shop at.”