Column: Textbook buyback is insulting

By Justin Prochaska

Published May 4, 2010

At the beginning of every semester, students flock to MU’s University Bookstore to purchase their textbooks for their classes. At the end of every semester, students flock to the same bookstore to sell their textbooks back for a little (and by little, I mean miniscule amount) cash. If I were to pinpoint the thing I hate most about college, it's this. Sometimes I wonder if MU is more concerned about getting my money than giving me an education.

The first semester of my freshman year, I bought all my books at the bookstore. After an almost $400 setback (which really isn't too bad considering how much I've heard some people pay), I decided there had to be a better alternative. I learned my lesson, and I now order the bulk of my books online via Amazon.

I don't appreciate the bookstore and professors requiring materials that aren't integral to the course. For example, in my economics class this semester I was required to buy a Wall Street Journal subscription along with my book and a study guide. We never once used the WSJ subscription in class or for a test. I feel like the class would function just fine without it. On the flip side, my Spanish textbook came with online subscriptions for us to do our homework. The book and online access code cost about $150 total. Even though I was unable to sell the book back, I feel like it was money well spent because we used the book in class and for homework every day and the book lasted three semesters (Spanish 1100, 1200 and 2100).

Another problem is textbooks are being published constantly and after a few semesters, professors will change the book they use to a more recent addition. If you are one of the last classes to use the older addition and try to sell it back to the bookstore, you are S.O.L.

I don't appreciate the mark-up. They charge high prices, and when you try to sell it back, they give you an insultingly low amount. For instance, my philosophy book freshman year cost about $85. The bookstore bought it back for $20. Of course, the following semester the bookstore is able to sell the book the book used for $67.50. This is absolutely ridiculous. I understand this is simply business, but the bookstore should make more of an effort to help out the students. I'm no economics expert, but the bookstore could still make money if they charged less for used copies. College is expensive, and textbooks should and can become more affordable.

The most I've ever paid for a book on Amazon is about $60. I sold it to somebody else for the same amount. I bought a book for my music class on Amazon last year for $40 when the bookstore was selling it for $95.40 used and a whopping $127.20 new.

Luckily, some professors are trying to help quell the costs. My sociology professor didn't require a textbook (citing price) and instead assigns us readings from other texts and posts them via Blackboard or e-mail. Other professors are writing books specifically for their classes to prevent students having to buy multiple books for one class. Unfortunately, most professors have yet to try this approach and still require multiple books that will set you back about $100 each, regardless if you use it or not.

Despite all this, the reason it works is because people are willing to pay inflated prices. I hope more and more people come to their senses and decide to purchase books elsewhere. The bookstore is undoubtedly more convenient, but I would much rather save a few hundred bucks than get all my books in the same place.