By Victor Dixon, Editor-in-Chief
The tuition, fees and personal costs that come with a new school year can be overwhelming, and purchasing textbooks can become a lower priority. If you’re anything like me, Newman’s online bookstore that keeps pestering us with emails looks less and less attractive by the day.
I’ve learned from personal experience that there are much better – and cheaper – options for buying textbooks. So if you’ve waited this long, take a look at my list of alternative places to get books:
Online used book sites
The past two semesters, I’ve had to buy a lot of novels, as will most humanities and social sciences majors. During that time, thriftbooks.com and abebooks.com became my best friends.
Since they’re both online, there’s no need to worry about finding time outside of work or class to get to a physical location and scramble to find the book you need right before closing.
There are a couple negatives, however. For example, these sites often work with different retailers, and one store’s “good” condition might be very different from another’s.
Another concern is the extra time and money necessary for shipping and delivery, which at this point in the semester might not be ideal. These online shops, though, are a great option if you want to be proactive before next semester.
Local used bookstores
You might be noticing a pattern here: I love used books, and you should, too. Buying used books is a great way to save money and reduce waste, and a local store is the best place to do it.
My favorite is Book-A-holic, which has a location close to Newman’s campus at 601 N. West St.
Although the prices vary a lot depending on how recently a book has been published or what condition it’s in, it will pretty much always be cheaper than buying new from anywhere else.
You can also pick up and see what you’re getting without having to wonder whether it’s in good condition or the right edition for the class you’re taking. Even better, once you’ve bought the book, there’s no wait period or shipping costs.
Libraries
My No. 1 choice when looking for textbooks, or any book, is the library. Our own Dugan Library has accommodating hours and a wealth of resources, both online and on the shelves.
When there’s something outside its scope, which can happen often depending on the degree program or the class, I look to the public library, and not just the Wichita Public Library. I’m also a cardholder at the Valley Center Public Library, which is very close to my off-campus job.
That’s the truly great part about public libraries: They are a public resource and are happy to welcome new patrons, whether they’re a resident of the city or not.
Plus, it’s a win-win for everybody: The more people who choose to support libraries, the more funding and resources they get to provide their services to the community.
Depending on the library, you might also get access to online programs like Libby, where you can check out e-books and audiobooks.
The only downside to libraries, in my opinion, is the limited amount of time that you can keep a book, but that’s what renewals are for.
Your community
You can get free or cheap books from other sources, too, including alumni, current students, professors, the Jet Resource Hub, even Facebook or Nextdoor. The individuals in your community can be just as helpful as the small businesses and public resources.
Trading knowledge in the form of books is one of the most impactful ways to strengthen your relationship with the people in your community and an easy informal way to get the materials you need for class.
PHOTO: Courtesy, Unsplash
