Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Apr. 28, 2018

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Accounts Receivable [Table Text Block]

Receivables represent customer, private and public institutional and government billings (colleges, universities and other financial aid providers), credit/debit card receivables, advances for book buybacks, advertising and other receivables due within one year. Components of accounts receivables are as follows:

	As of
	April 28, 2018		April 29, 2017
Trade accounts	$	67,634	$	58,460
Advances for book buybacks	9,554		12,779
Credit/debit card receivables	3,824		3,737
Other receivables	19,048		11,064
Total receivables, net	$	100,060	$	86,040

Property and Equipment [Table Text Block]

Components of property and equipment are as follows:

		As of
	Useful Life	April 28, 2018		April 29, 2017
Property and equipment:
Leasehold improvements	(a)	$	148,413	$	144,260
Machinery, equipment and display fixtures	3 - 5	237,823		235,153
Computer hardware and capitalized software costs	(b)	123,575		100,749
Office furniture and other	2 - 7	54,991		52,339
Construction in progress		6,546		18,551
Total property and equipment		571,348		551,052
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization		460,061		434,439
Total property and equipment, net		$	111,287	$	116,613

(a) Leasehold improvements are capitalized and depreciated over the shorter of lease term or the useful life of the improvements, ranging from one to 15 years.

(b) System costs are capitalized and amortized over their estimated useful lives, from the date the systems become operational. Purchased software is generally amortized over a period of between 2 - 5 years.