University students hoping to buy an IBook are probably out of luck this year. The three major campus bookstores have sold out already, and there are no plans for it to be reprinted.

The IBook is created and published by the Illini Union Board (IUB). It is printed in late spring for the upcoming school year, and the number of copies printed is determined by requests from the stores that sell them, said Susan Pile, program advisor for the IUB.

"The IUB printed 20,000 this year, based on requests from our vendors, which is the exact same number that we printed last year," Pile said.

Pile suggested that the increase in freshmen might be the reason why the IBook sold out so quickly this year.

The Illini Union Bookstore, 809 S. Wright St., Champaign, typically doesn't sell out of IBooks until later in the semester. However, this year the store requested fewer books and sold out last week, said general manager Will Bredfield.

TIS College Bookstore, 707 S. 6th St., Champaign, sold out of IBooks the first day of classes, which has occurred in past years, said John Tichenor, a store manager.

This is the first year Follett Energy Squared Bookstore, 627 S. Wright St., Champaign, has sold out of IBooks entirely, said Kristine McCoskey, general merchandise manager at the store.

Although the IUB has no plans to print more copies of the IBook for the 2003 school year, it is not entirely out of the question.

"If vendors were to ask for a significant amount, we would consider reprinting," Pile said.

— compiled by Ted Faust