Students saving money on textbooks

As students begin to fill the streets of Bloomington, most might find their pockets quickly becoming empty. The thief is the rising cost of textbooks and course packets. \nTrying to stretch their dollars, many students are beginning to find alternative places to buy their books instead of simply using the better-known T.I.S. and IU Bookstore. \nAbbey Stemler, a freshman from New Albany, Ind., is one of those people. \n"I saved a lot of money from what T.I.S. quoted me on," Stemler said. "I saved about $50 on each book, and I used over four different Web sites to get my books from."\nStemler said she used www.bunchesofbooks.com, www.ecampus.com, www.powells.com, www.barnesandnoble.com and www.amazon.com. She believed the books were cheaper because there wasn't a middle man in the purchasing process.\n"Principles of Microeconomics," a textbook that will be used in some ECON-E 201 courses this semester, is available at www.ecampus.com. A used copy, including shipping and handling, costs $76.43, while a new one goes for $95.22. The IU Bookstore is charging $115.15 for a new book, which includes a study guide. \nT.I.S. Bookstore lists the book somewhere in between, offering the used book for $86.20 and the new one for $114.95.\nTim Lloyd, textbook manager for T.I.S., said sometimes the publisher will establish the costs of textbooks. But in some cases, he said, when the publisher does not have a set list price, T.I.S. marks-up the book about 20 percent from cost. Lloyd said new sources for books have emerged and students are taking advantage of them. \n"Buying patterns have definitely changed," Lloyd said. "Many students will wait 'til after classes start to figure if the books will be used and then will buy them."\nAt the IU Bookstore, the prices are determined by the publisher of the textbooks, said Michelle Strayer, a cashier at the IU Bookstore. She also said the publisher decides the buyback value and the cost for used books.\n"We don't establish the prices of the textbooks, the publisher does that," Strayer said. "They decide what prices the books will be set at."\nIU Bookstore Director Paul Hazel said the faculty's need for textbooks determines the buyback prices. \n"If they're using the book again, it'll be needed and the buyback value will be higher," Hazel said. "If the new book is $100, then the used is marked down 25 percent, and you'll get half of the price of a new book for buyback." \nA number of students get frustrated with buying the books new or used. At the end of the semester, many get very little money back in comparison to what they paid at the start of the semester, said Emily Dossman, a junior from Indianapolis. Dossman said the bookstores should reconsider their buyback policies.\n"It's hard because some people use their books and the books are obviously worn," Dossman said. "However, some people never use the book and the book is in the same condition it was in when purchased. So you spend $300 on books and get $20 back for them. I think it would be better if the bookstores based their buyback value on each book individually instead of having a set price." \nAt T.I.S., not only does the bookstore set the price for new and used textbooks, it also determines the buyback value, Lloyd said. \n"If a textbook cost $100 and it will be used again next semester, when the students come to sell the book back, we will give them $50 and then sell it next semester for $75," Lloyd said. "But if it will not be used again next semester, we will buy it back from a student for the national wholesale market price."\nWhile professors often will put articles and other information for classes on reserve at the library, the library does not have class textbooks available for use, said Pat Steele, head of customer and excess services at the library. \n"Often the library doesn't purchase textbooks at all because the editions change so quickly," Steele said. "But sometimes professors will give the library a copy of the textbook they will be using in the course for students to use."\nAnd while on-campus bookstores are convenient, Stemler said finding a bargain has more benefits. \n"Although I didn't buy them brand new from a bookstore, most of them have never been used," Stemler said. "And that's good enough for me."\n-- Contact staff writer Maggie Bozich at mbozich@indiana.edu.