Textbook too expensive

Publishers Raise Prices On College Textbooks

By: Luke Landgraf

The US Government Accountability Office said “the annual rate of inflation of college textbooks was at an annual six percent.”  They said “the inflation is due to the demand from the publisher and book writer.”   Along with the high book prices, how much of the textbook do you actually use?

Brady Scott a BSU sophomore worked all summer long leading up to his freshman year to pay for books. “I spent about $400 on books,” he said “I used most of them but I didn’t use one book at all and used another once or twice.”   Why are books so expensive when students have to buy so many?   “I don’t know why they are so expensive,” said Scott Borcher a BSU philosophy professor.  “If we don’t use most of the book I usually tend to make photo copies.”

BSU students have two options when buying their textbooks. The Bemidji State University Book store is located right on campus, and the Beaver Bookstore is Located right off campus at 23^rd NE Bemidji, MN 56601.  Both bookstores allow you to buy their books online.“ Our bookstore and the book located on campus prices are slightly different,” said Jane an employee that works at the Beaver Bookstore located off campus. “Our bookstore has two other store locations just like this one.”  At the end of each semester bookstores have a window of opportunity for students to sell their books back. “When we buy the books back we pay a little more because we have two more stores in different locations.  So when we bought the books back the demand for those books is greater,” Jane said.

There are a couple ways around the high book prices. At both bookstores you have an opportunity to buy used textbooks.  The books are not that much cheaper than the brand new books but it adds up when buying a cart full of textbooks.   A newer way to buy textbooks isn’t buying them, its renting them.  This is a cheaper way to have textbooks in your possession without buying them.  To be able to rent the textbook you have to order your books early because the rentals go fast.  “I encourage students to buy their books online, said Borcher “It is much cheaper this way,” says professor Borcher.  There are many online companies that sell books online to students.  Such as Amazon.com,  halfs.com, Buy.com etc.  Books online tend to be a lot cheaper at these type of sites rather than online book store that the school provides. 

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