Textbook Anyone?

A report by ABC’s WTRF News says Stadium Bookstore in Huntington, West Virginia is offering Marshall University students the opportunity to rent their textbooks this year instead of buying them. The program allows students to rent the books for nearly half the purchase price. And Stadium has 400 titles on their available list.

This system doesn’t sound too different from the “buy at the beginning of the semester, resell at the end” system. Though it must strike fear in the heart of textbook publishers! And put that pesky college library in a awkward position, “renting” for free as they do.

Valerie Merians is the co-founder and co-publisher of Melville House.

4 Comments

Pete at 1:28 pm on January 13, 2010

Resell at the end of the semester – but only if the publisher has refrained from issuing yet another new edition of the book (probably without significant editorial changes) which makes the previous edition worthless and not repurchased by the bookstore. Or at least that’s how it was when I was in college, during the Paleolithic era.
Pete at 1:28 pm on January 13, 2010

Resell at the end of the semester – but only if the publisher has refrained from issuing yet another new edition of the book (probably without significant editorial changes) which makes the previous edition worthless and not repurchased by the bookstore. Or at least that’s how it was when I was in college, during the Paleolithic era.
Alyse at 5:29 pm on January 13, 2010

Ulrich’s Bookstore at the University of Michigan, where I attend school, is also renting textbooks this semester. There is mass amounts of advertising for the program around campus. However, I do not know anyone who is taking advantage of it. I, personally, decided to resell my books at the end of the term. I think most students prefer to sell their books online, instead of back to the resale store, and I know people who have made a profit doing so.
Alyse at 5:29 pm on January 13, 2010

Ulrich’s Bookstore at the University of Michigan, where I attend school, is also renting textbooks this semester. There is mass amounts of advertising for the program around campus. However, I do not know anyone who is taking advantage of it. I, personally, decided to resell my books at the end of the term. I think most students prefer to sell their books online, instead of back to the resale store, and I know people who have made a profit doing so.

Melville House Books

January 13, 2010

Textbook Anyone?

by Valerie Merians