Spring Break
Textbook prices soar, stores refuse blame
TOM MARINE
Issue date: 8/27/07 Section: News
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Fornito, a junior from Fayetteville, said she orders her books online because of increasing textbook prices and estimated that she saved $100 on the four books she bought this semester.
"We're all college students trying to pay for apartments and stuff," Fornito said. "And it doesn't help that books cost $500 a semester. I think the prices are ridiculous."
According to a 2005 Government Accountability Office study, the price of textbooks has increased 6 percent a year for the last two decades.
The study cites the costs of more frequent new editions and development of other learning tools such as CD-ROMS for the price hikes.
Stehr, a senior from Commerce majoring in history, said he blames professors who require multiple books, supplements, and course packets for the heavy prices.
As a result, he said he buys a combination of new and used books to minimize the costs.
"Seven or eight books for a single class is outrageous," Stehr said. "It is even more absurd because (the publishers) come out with new editions every two years."
Stehr added that he questions why the University has the money to build buildings and parking lots, but not enough money to make books more affordable for students.
Charles Fuller, owner of Off-Campus Bookstore, also criticized the University for refusing to adopt books - a method of standardizing textbooks used for certain courses. He said this was another way the cost of textbooks could decrease.
Fuller said the brunt of the frustration over textbook costs is taken out on local bookstores and the used-book business.
"I'm in the textbook business and even I think prices are too high," Fuller said.
"But I'm tired of taking the blame for it. I don't blame the students for being upset, but it's not my fault and it's not the students' fault."
Viewing Comments 1 - 8 of 12
Michael Covington
posted 8/27/07 @ 9:54 AM EST
I see a few factors:
(1) Death of the tradition of doing your reading assignments in the library. To bring it back, professors should make more of a distinction between required and optional textbooks, and make sure the optional material is on reserve in the library. (Continued…)
Screwed by the Bookstore
posted 8/27/07 @ 11:24 AM EST
This article does not mention what I believe to be the most insane part of the book buying process. What about resale and buy back prices that are not in line. (Continued…)
Joy Strickland
posted 8/27/07 @ 5:27 PM EST
Cheaper books and the opprotunity to sell them back for a reasonable price:
half.com
jaja
posted 8/27/07 @ 7:36 PM EST
Another option: If it's a recent update, I ALWAYS buy the previous edition. It's worked for me so far, and I've paid as little as $3 for a textbook that was only out for one year before the updated version arrived. (Continued…)
jaja
posted 8/27/07 @ 7:40 PM EST
One more thing: You can always create a seller account on Amazon.com (or any other textbook site) to resell your textbooks after the semester. I've done this for 2 years, and I make significantly more money than I would selling it back to the bookstore. (Continued…)
rebecca
posted 8/29/07 @ 10:03 AM EST
http://www.fetchbook.info is a wonderful website to find used textbooks. it scans the web for used textbook vendors and compares their prices.
i bought a efnd2110 textbook that sells used at the bookstore for around $50 for $12 plus shipping. (Continued…)
Ashley Wikings
posted 8/29/07 @ 10:04 AM EST
well I dont see what the big fuss is.... just go to BIGWORDS.COM and save way more than half your money on textbooks. Its that easy! You can even save money on CDs, DvDs and video games. (Continued…)
Tyler
posted 8/29/07 @ 6:48 PM EST
I agree that the bookstore is making most of the money by gyping college students when selling books; new editions (that contain no new information) are constantly being implemented, and the used books are not much cheaper than new when they are available. (Continued…)
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