They are everywhere. In USM’s classrooms, student centers, and even the resident halls. Every time you set foot in the computer lab, they surround you.
The “they” in question: those little barcode stickers that manage to find their way onto every piece of University property.
Some students may have noticed the little tags before, others may even know what they mean. The University uses these tags to keep strict record of where everything is.
When consciously noticing such tags, one may realize the massive amount of property owned by the University. When added up, that property equals a substantial monetary figure.
University property is essentially student tuition.
Some may wonder, “What happens to old University property when it is replaced? Where does all of the surplus go?”
The answer to these questions, “Where are the deals?” also applies to the following questions.
The USM Surplus Store is an avenue for everyone from students to the general public to purchase old department property at a fraction of the original cost. Reminiscent of an indoor lawn sale, the Surplus Store is home to everything from used office furniture to fully-operational telecommunications equipment.
Robert Laplante, property management coordinator, runs the USM Surplus Store, located in the same building as the USM Police Department on the Portland campus. The entrance to the store is through the door adjacent to the police station’s ticket-window.
The store offers virtually everything a student might need for a productive homework area at great prices.
“Computers usually sell well,” Laplante said.
Pentium I computer bundles, including the PC, monitor, keyboard and mouse, sell for around $50, while Pentium II bundles sell for about $100. Both computer types might be slightly outdated but have word-processing capabilities and can be networked.
Computers aren’t the only things that can be purchased for low prices however.
“We sell any office machine that is serviceable,” Laplante said.
A wide array of phones, fax machines and tape recorders litter the already packed shelves. The store is also home to various odds and ends. If one were missing a power cord, a replacement can be found here. Almost-new keyboards from stylish-black models to older ones can be purchased for $5.
The store is quite popular among students and the public. Shipments arrive regularly and the products always vary.
“Sometimes I get calls from out-of-staters asking about merchandise,” Laplante said. “We are very busy.”
Laplante said word-of-mouth has been the cause of the rush.
The store also has a new Web site. Laplante said the newly launched web site will probably add to the store’s traffic
Students are encouraged to check back periodically in order to catch some of the bargains. An online catalog can be found on the store’s Web site at http://www.usm.maine.edu/bus/property