Posted: 02/07/07

Textbook inflation
Students struggle with rising textbook prices

Katie Robichaud | contributing writer
krobichaud@smcvt.edu

Every semester, college students are faced with the expensive endeavor of purchasing textbooks. According to the U.S. Federation of State Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs), college textbook prices have increased at nearly four times the rate of inflation for finished goods since 1994.

“Over the past five to 10 years students seem to be more cautious, they buy only when they need them (textbooks),” University of Vermont (UVM) bookstore manager, Jay Menninger says.

UVM bookstore ideas

Menninger has spent the last 30 years working in the bookstore industry, and for the past six has been working as the manager at the UVM bookstore.

The UVM bookstore offers a pre-ordering policy for students so they can buy their books offline before the start of the semester. (Katie Robichaud, photo)

“Five, six, seven years used to go by before a new textbook was published,” Menninger says. “Now sometimes new editions come out 12 or 18 months after the old one, which makes the old edition have no value in the book market.”

Having frequently released editions doesn’t allow a student to purchase or sell back their used textbooks, because there is no longer a need for old editions. According to U.S. PIRG, constant new editions are increasing at twice the rate of inflation compared to previous editions.

Allowing more time before new editions are published enables students to buy used books or get money back from their used textbooks.

“The students like used books and we like used books, but the publishers hate it,” Menninger says.

He has noticed a lot of students sharing and buying books online to make it cheaper for themselves, but the bookstore still gets the bulk of the purchases.

Publishers have now changed the way they package textbooks. Over the past several years publishers have created “bundled books.”

According to U.S. PIRG, “Bundling costs a bundle. Publishers increase textbook prices by adding unnecessary bells and whistles—such as CD-ROMs and workbooks.”

U.S. PIRG surveyed the bundled books and found that they were 10 percent more expensive then buying the textbooks separately.

Students have turned to the Internet to find less expensive prices for their textbooks.

“I go to the first class and see if I can get away with not having books for the first two weeks or so, in that case I get them online,” says Allison Tracey, a St. Michael’s College sophomore.

If students purchase at the bookstore they first look for any used copies of the textbooks they need, according to Whitney Wildes, a St. Michael’s bookstore employee.

At the UVM bookstore they have an online program set up for students to purchase their textbooks.

“Two weeks before school begins students can pre-order their books online. They get first access at the used books,” Menninger says. “We box them up for the students to pick up at the bookstore.”

At St. Michael’s, students do not have the option to preorder their books fromthe bookstore. For the most part, students are unaware of what textbooks they will need until they arrive on campus for the semester.

“I really wish the teachers would post the books for classes online prior to the start of the semester, so we didn’t have to buy the books in the bookstore, a lot of schools do that,” Tracey says.

 

U.S. college textbooks

The St. Michael's bookstore works with professors to designate a certain amount of books for every class. (Katie Robichaud, photo)

College textbook prices in the United States are increasing at a higher rate than in other countries.

According to the Thomson Learning Web site, books cost an average of 72 percent more in the United States than in the United Kingdom, Africa, and the Middle East.

“Prices of our textbooks are ridiculous. On average I spend anywhere from $200 to $500 per semester on books,” says Brad Matton, a junior at St. Michael’s.

John Payne, St. Michael’s library director, is often asked by students why the library doesn’t have copies of textbooks.

“Even if we have only one copy of every textbook students needed, it would still take up the libraries entire budget,” Payne says.

Professors try to lighten the amount of textbooks to buy by putting books and articles on reserve at the library.

Payne does not believe there has been an increase over the past several years in reserved readings.

“Textbooks are a large financial drain for students. Pressure should be put on the publishers,” Payne says.

How do students afford textbooks?

For many students, being able to pay for their college tuition is a struggle in itself.

More than half of the student body at St. Michael’s has need-based financial aid, and some students are spending almost a $1,000 a year on textbooks.

Students often have to work year round to be able to afford paying their tuition and the increase in textbook prices is becoming a large issue for many.

“I work during the summer and during winter break to be able to afford my books,” Tracey says.

Along with working outside of college, many students have work study as part of their financial aid package. This allows students to have an on-campus job.

“On average I spend somewhere between $300 to $400 a semester,” Tracey says.

Katie Filtzer works through one of her "bundle" textbooks. (Katie Robichaud, photo)

Tracey is one student who doesn’t rely entirely on the bookstore for her textbooks. She uses Web sites like amazon.com and half.ebay.com. She says online books are much cheaper.

Matton, on the other hand, does not purchase textbooks online. He buys all of his textbooks at the St. Michael’s bookstore.

A student’s major can have a large effect on the amount he or she spends on textbooks. Science and math textbooks are more expensive than philosophy or English books, Menninger says.

Since his first year at St. Michael’s, Matton has changed his major from business to political science and has seen a significant change in his textbook prices.

“When I was a business major I was spending almost $700 a semester. Now as a political science major I spend around $200 usually,” he says.

 

End of the semester buyback

During finals week for both fall and spring semester, St. Michael’s and UVM have large buyback programs. Students are allowed to sell back their books anytime at UVM during the semester, but will get more money back if they wait till the end according to Menninger.

“At the end of the semester we will buy the books back for half of the new price, I would rather have students do that because the students get the money back and are able to use it in the bookstore to buy a new sweatshirt or whatever.” Menninger says.

“I usually use the money for Christmas presents at the end of fall semester,” Matton says.“I get back anywhere from $30 to $100.”

Matton and Tracey say they have not noticed the general increase in textbook prices, but wish they would decrease.

“They [prices] pretty much have always been outrageous,” Tracey says.