College courses have started up again for the fall semester. Students will be introduced to their professors, classmates, and most importantly a new textbook. Classes often require a textbook that contains all of the information being taught in that specific course. Every year, college students go through the same routine of renting used textbooks for class. No matter if they are rented from the library, a used textbook retailer, or an online marketplace; students receive their books worn, tattered, and often grimy. But what if I were able to tell you there was a better way to get your required materials? Unbeknownst to many students, textbook companies have been making their textbooks available for purchase new and unused! It may cost a bit more, but the benefits outweigh the cost.
The typical textbook shopper will be looking for the lowest price on their books to save extra money. After all, college tuition can be very expensive and students must make sacrifices in order to continue their education. However, renting a used textbook can be detrimental to one's learning experience. When a textbook is used the previous owner may return the textbook in very poor condition. While these book are usually examined before being renting out again, problems may be overlooked during the exchange. I have rented books that have been bent, doodled in, and even had important sections highlighted. This can cause the student to get distracted during study time and resort to checking their Facebook or reading Odyssey articles like this one or this one. In a worse case scenario, you may even receive a book that wasn’t kept in a plastic cover to keep it in mint condition.
These issues are preventable by buying textbooks directly from the source. Most likely, your textbooks will be published by either Pearson or McGraw-Hill. Luckily, both publishers have an online marketplace where you can purchase your textbooks brand new. Both websites feature a prominent photo on their homepages of smiling people to show that the customer comes first. When purchasing a textbook you are given different options for how you would like to receive your books. They have the traditional hardcover or softcover books, loose leaf versions, and even digital copies. Loose leaf versions are the same textbooks just unbound and significantly cheaper while digital textbooks can be accessed from iPad, Android and Kindle devices. When purchasing a new book you get the peace of mind knowing the condition of your textbooks will be perfect for the first day of class.
What about renting textbooks? Many retailers give you the option to rent your textbooks new and send them back when you are finished the with course. This sounds like a happy medium, but it is anything but. Returning a textbook can be a hassle and if for some reason it is not returned on time you can be charged ridiculous late fees. When a book is overdue from the library your account may be charged a whopping 20 cents. In the case of textbook rentals, you may have to keep the book be charged a non-return fee with an added non return processing fee. A non-return fee from the eFollett bookstore is “75% of the cost of a new book plus a 7.5% processing fee. This is in addition to the original rental charge.” You will be forced to buy the textbook for more than it was originally worth! When you buy a textbook straight from the publisher you keep the book outright and avoid the risk of being charged added fees.
Although renting textbooks is shown by the media to be hip and trending but that does not mean you have to follow along with the crowd. Used textbook rentals will only get you unsuitable materials for a greater financial risk. Buying your textbooks new from the publisher is your best option for value and quality. As a bonus, you can loan your purchased books to other students for a modest fee each semester!
