"We don't sell manuals"

[edible_hat]

I had to buy a lab manual for uni. The lecturer said we can buy it from campus services.

me: I need the lab manual for [subject]
csr: We don't sell manuals.
me: Well the lecturer said we can get it here.
csr: But we don't sell manuals, only readers.
me: There's no reader for the subject, but there is a lab manual.
csr: But we don't have manuals, only readers.
me: Do you have a reader for [subject]?
csr: (looks at the list) Yes, it's $11.

So I buy it. And what does it say right there on the front cover, in size 18 font?

LAB MANUAL

[powerboy]

My brain hurts just trying to figure that one out.

[rerant]

I couldn't help but think of that scene from Seinfeld where Elaine is trying to order popcorn from the movie theatre concession counter.

Can I have a small?
We don't have small.
What do you have?
Meduim, large and extra large.
So whats a meduim?
That's small.
And whats small?
We don't have small.

eeeeeet cetera.

[edible_hat]

Update: On the forum on the subject home page, a few people complained that they can't get the lab manual because "campus services said they don't sell manuals". The lecturer said to ask for the reader, because "they're inflexible bureaucrats who have been told that they sell readers".

[Boochan]

Ouch.
At least your campus bothers to stock everything you need.
I had to eventually go off my Tech Colleges campus and to another Uni across town just to get a book because of some dispute between the College bookstore and the Lecturer..

[Kogarashi]

Apparently, because of where one of my Humanities 202 teachers (yes, I had more than one; long story) got their readers printed, the university bookstore wouldn't carry them in the textbook section. Where did I have to go to pick it up?

The local tanning salon.