Strategically Buying Textbooks: A Guide For Students In Need

As spring quarter rolls around, so do the expenses that come with it.

On top of tuition, students must purchase textbooks for courses, which takes up a large chunk of money and is often out of pocket for students. According to the Huffington Post and The College Board, the annual cost of books and materials at $1,168.

Instead of buying brand new books each quarter,  there are other options that students can utilize to avoid breaking the bank. 

One of the first options is renting an online copy of a textbook from Amazon. The Paper Tree Bookstore site gives the exact titles of the books you need and their ISBN numbers, an identifying feat of the book. This is a great option because most quarters last around 3 months. This way, students won’t be stuck that won’t be touched after the class has been completed. It is also usually much cheaper than buying the book.

A second option is buying used books rather than brand new. Most used books are still in good condition, although they may have fading or some notes written in them. Most teachers do not care what shape the book is in as long as it is current.

Libraries are also an option, as they have certain textbooks on reserve. Holman Library often has some textbooks on reserve in the case that a student cannot afford the textbook. Typically these books are available to students for 2 hours at a time. They allow you to copy a certain amount of pages for reading but keep tight restrictions under copyright laws. 

There is also a Facebook group called the GRC Textbook Exchange. It is a group of students that post their used textbooks. This allows the student to make sure that it is the correct book and see pictures of what they are planning on purchasing. The books are usually priced well and are often in good condition. In a craigslist-like exchange, students can meet up and exchange cash for books. Never go to these exchanges alone, always bring a friend, parent, or sibling along. 

Overall, there are many different ways to find books in other places than just your college bookstore which will usually be the most expensive. Each of these options are a cheaper alternative for the original prices that the Paper Tree Bookstore opens and some professors encourage these options.