Since I was off from work today, I sat in Alley Pond Park and readseveral sections of yesterday's New York Times. There was an article titled
We Rent Movies, So Why Not Textbooks. At the beginning of every semester reference librarians are bombarded by students doing simple book searches for required textbooks. I always show the student how to find a book, but my standard response is the library does not collect required textbooks, your professor feels that it is in your best interest to buy the book. Certainly, textbooks especially in the science and engineering disciplines are expensive, but the cost of textbooks is part of the cost of an education. What bothers me is that publishers constantly change the editions of textbooks to dry up the used book market. Does basic calculus, chemistry, or physics, change in a few years?
This article describes two online services where students can rent books:
Back when I was a student, I kept books in my major (chemistry), but sold other subjects to the book store or to another student at the end of the semester. Renting textbooks can save money for students.
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