Are you aware of textbook buying options?

Every year we hear the same complaints from students, “my text books are too expensive!”

Every year we also hear a minority voice counter this complaint, “I bought my book used online for half price.”

This may cause one to wonder if the bookstore prices are so unreasonable, why students are ignoring the discounted alternative.

Convenience may be a partial answer. It is important to take into account that financial aid charge is available at the beginning of the term before disbursement, but some do choose to forgo having a book at the beginning of the term and dedicate time to catching up later in the interest of saving money.
Many of the same voices crying out against unreasonable prices are the ones settling for one outlet of sale.

Students at other colleges have taken initiative to find a way to help each other save money. Clackamas Community College and Portland Community College student government offices have devised their own systems that help students hold on to their precious and scarce resources by offering a web of inter-student book sales.

It you are wondering why hasn’t anyone at Mt. Hood Community College ventured outside of the tired library bulletin board and implemented a similar system? Then don’t fret coming winter term MHCC’s Associated Student Government will start what is called a “Book Swap” which will allow students to set their own prices and buy, sell and trade with other MHCC students. ASG will facilitate the event and offer a place for students to do this before and after the term.

Outside of this future system that will soon be set into place there are also various options available online to save money.
There are book-renting sites and sites that sell used books at a fraction of the bookstore price.

These sites include but are not limited to Amazon and Powell’s, which are local favorites; Students may want to try a Tablet computer or an eReader to help cut the costs of books as well.

Although with some textbooks they have so much data that they cannot fit onto an eReader and must be loaded onto a laptop or a computer, which for some may defeat the purpose of an eReader, which is to provide books in a compact piece of equipment.

Some alternatives will not work for buying textbooks outside of the campus bookstore as some books are specific or custom for one college or another so there little chance that a student will be able to find it on Amazon or another book retailer.

Whether you decide to buy an eReader, look at websites or bookstores that sell used books or stick to buying in the campus bookstore. There are many options for purchasing textbooks, but students need to do their research before purchasing so they may get the most bang for their buck.