Textbook Bailout

Textbooks prove valuable in more ways than one 

By Chase Christensen

With Christmas only a few weeks away and having just been through Black Friday, some Utah State University students are finding themselves in need of extra cash, and a few are finding relief in an unlikely source, their textbooks.

Every year, during the last week of the semester, the USU Bookstore offers buy backs. A buy back is when the store offers college students money for their used text books. Often the amount is considerably less than what the books were originally purchased for, according to Alyssa Sawyer, a junior who recently sold her books back early for holiday cash. But it is better than nothing, she said.

What most students do not realize is that books can be sold back at any time throughout the semester, not just the last week, even at the decreased buy back price this can represent a fair amount of money, Sawyer said.

“It really depends on the class,” said Sawyer. “Some of my classes I bought a book for and didn’t even need the stupid thing the entire semester; those are the easiest to sell when you need money.”

But some of the books that were sold back were still of use in classes, raising a dilemma.

“The books you can kind of still use are harder to sell,” Sawyer said. “You have to weigh your options, it’s not worth failing a class worth hundreds of dollars, but if you are pretty sure you can do it without the book it’s pretty hard not to consider it.”

But it does not seem to be a growing trend, or even common place said Stuart Baker, who oversees text book buy backs for the book store.

“You would think that we would get a lot of books back around that time, but that’s not the case,” Stuart said. “It really doesn’t seem to pick up for us until right before finals.”

Not many students had returned their books and probably would not until the store begins its end of semester buy back, scheduled to start this Thursday, he said.

“Not many students think ahead that far I don’t think,” Stuart said. “The problem with Black Friday shopping is it’s a month before school ends, I think it would be hard to go that long without a book.”

He did concede that the reason the school buys back books year-round is because of such situations.

“Usually you are going to get our most competitive prices at the end of the semester,” Stuart said. “Prices are good then, but if you are really stressing for cash you can sell them anytime.”

But to a few students it is worth the risk.

“I know it’s not the best way to do things,” Sawyer said. “But if you need the money I think it’s worth it. I am sure I’m not the only one who does it.”