1) Crisis for Textbook Prices

2) The Textbook Dilemma

By: Christine Johnson

It is about that time for the fall semester to come to an end. As spring semester

approaches some students will need to return their old books, and purchase new books for their

new classes. As easy as this may sound, the search for reasonable priced textbooks is crucial.

Textbooks can range from $30 to $500 or higher.

“I think textbook prices today are outrageous, but on the other hand I think there is a

problem with used textbooks and that’s why the prices are so high. The author wouldn’t make

hardly any money at all if they sold these books for 20 or 30 dollars,” Dr. Hoffman, and English

professor, said.

Averett’s bookstore gives students the opportunity to purchase their textbooks on

campus. This is a very convenient way for students to get their books on time for classes, and

being able to stay within the school’s campus while doing so.

“I personally like buying and owning my books because they are fresh and I can mark in

them and write notes in them as I please. I don't have to worry about returning them on a certain

date, they're mine,” Cameron May, a basketball player and a freshman Sports Management

major, said.

Although purchasing new books straight from your schools bookstore can be pricey,

Averett gives students alternatives. Students are able to rent their books for cheaper prices than

the actual book is, and the payment price does not have to be cash. Students are able to purchase

books by using their financial aid or campus card. Averett’s Bookstore will also buy back

textbooks from students using their Averett student ID.

“For convenience, I definitely think students should go to the bookstore, but ultimately

students have to do what they have to do. If you can get the book cheaper from somewhere else

then you should do so,” Hoffman said.

Another cheap and popular source for the purchasing and renting reasonable priced

textbooks is Chegg and Amazon. These book rental websites allows students to purchase and

rent books for as cheap as $2. Since most incoming college students have to pay for food,

dormitory, and other expenses, these websites are the most effective amongst college students

due to the extremely low textbook prices.

“Coming into college as a freshman I couldn’t believe the prices of the textbooks. One of

my books was almost $400. I didn’t know how I was going to afford that until a upperclassmen

here at Averett gave me textbook advice and told me how cheap they get their books on Chegg

and Amazon ,” Markell Northman, a freshman Psychology major, said.