By Rick Jackson (Whetstone contributor)
Wesley Bookstore Linnea Cavallo / Whetstone
The dollars add up when checking out books for classes. Whether you’re renting or buying, you can count on spending a lot of money when purchasing or renting new or used books for Wesley College classes.
According to Wesley’s bookstore manager, Kris McGlothlin, it’s not the bookstore’s fault.
“It’s not our price, it’s the price of the publishers,†he said.
The school buys books from the publisher and the publisher lists a price in which it can make a profit, he said.
But if students think they might get some of that money back by selling it back to the bookstore, most receive only fractions of the price at which they bought them.
“Most of the students choose to rent books as a means of lowering the price and saving money,†McGlothlin said. “But the problem with that is, they’re already renting so you can’t sell back a book that you never bought. If students want to get books at a reduced cost, they can buy used books, rent books or purchase the growing popular e-books.â€
What annoys some students the most is buying a book and not using it very much – if at all – in their classes.
“I took a psychology course and I don’t think the book was mandatory for the class,†said Sherleen Sabin, a legal studies major. “I only used it a couple times. It would be better if the professor just printed out certain sections of the book that she wanted to focus on for that day, instead of buying an $80 book.â€
Many students say that a few professors require books but never use them.
“I have always had trouble with students reading the textbook,†said Biology professor Kathleen Curran. “They have weekly assignments outlined in the syllabus and they need the book to answer homework problems. I looked for one that had more graphics and relevant examples. Many of the concepts I cover are difficult and reading the book should help with comprehension.â€
If students want to purchase books at lower prices, they can check out Chegg.com.
