Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

Universities tout book rental programs
By Alyssa Siegele
The Daily Vidette, Illinois State U.
August 21, 2008

Many colleges and universities have found a solution to high textbook prices. Eastern Illinois University is among the schools providing a textbook rental service.

Universities with smaller student bodies generally have more success in implementing a rental system than those with large student bodies.

Still, EIU is able to provide its students with required classroom textbooks at a fraction of the price students at other universities pay.

"I would rather wait in the long lines that we've heard about for the rentals than buy textbooks for over a hundred dollars each," said Emily Baglin, an EIU freshman.

According to the Eastern Illinois Web site, students may rent textbooks for a much lower cost than the original sticker price, saving students up to hundreds of dollars.

However, students must keep the books in prime condition by using waterproof covers.

Incoming EIU freshmen must come to school before renting their books.

Not all classroom material is available through the system.

Internship material, special courses, workshop material, independent study courses and research thesis courses are exceptions to the books offered by the service.

Students still in general education courses often have the easiest time renting books because of the commonality of these courses. Communications, biology and mathematics, which are among the typical required general education courses, use books more readily available through the service.

A 2007 report conducted by the Illinois Board of Higher Education found that book rental would cut the price of books in half. It also notes that selling books back to bookstores results in students receiving little buy-back money for their used books.

"A survey was conducted to investigate the feasibility of a rental service at Illinois State," said Anne Harner, manager of Illinois State University's Barnes & Noble Bookstore, noting that the results were not promising.

On average, it would cost $10 million to begin a service at most Illinois public universities, according to the study. An additional $36.7 million would be needed to run the program.

Alamo II representatives were unavailable for direct comment.

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