Select textbooks are now available for rent as well as purchase from the CU Book Store. Pamela Mills, director of the CU Book Store, said that they hope to expand the rental selection but that feedback from students is crucial to the future of the program. (CU Independent/ Patrick Ghidossi)
As cash registers ring and students groan it’s clear that school is in session and textbook-buying madness is upon campus.
Last spring the CU Book Store began offering textbook rentals on select titles in addition to purchasing new or used books. The rental program will continue this fall and Pamela Mills, director of the CU Book Store, said she has hopes that they will soon be able to offer more titles for rent.
“I think a lot of students in this town really like the idea that they can rent their books,” Mills said. “Having options is very important to students.”
Matthew Hale, a 19-year-old sophomore business major, said he has not rented textbooks before, but cost plays the crucial role in deciding where he gets his books.
“The determining factor is always cost,” Hale said.
Hale said he mainly purchases his books from the CU Book Store and Chegg. He also said he prefers ordering online because of the cost but would consider renting.
“It’s always price,” he said. “If after shipping and handling and all that it was cheaper, then I would definitely try renting.”
For some students, the reluctance to rent has less to do with actual cost and more to do with end-of-semester gratification.
“I know it sounds ridiculous but I wouldn’t rent because I like getting money back,” said Michelle Bradley, a 21-year-old junior speech language and hearing sciences major. “It’s that feeling of cash in your hands after you sell your books back.”
Bradley also said she worries about her ability to keep track of the books.
“Knowing me I’d probably lose the book too,” Bradley said.
Mills said that so far the Book Store has received positive feedback on the rental option.
”We’ve gotten good feedback from people,” Mills said. “Some people really like the idea of owning their books but some want to rent it if it’s not in their major.”
Julia Westfall, a 20-year-old junior political science major, said she wished renting textbooks from the Book Store had been an option when she was still completing core courses.
“I always buy from the Book Store because it’s convenient and easy,” Westfall said. “Now I want to keep my books for my major, but as a freshman I would have rented. Especially for those core courses, who needs some crappy Plato book? But the ones for my major I want, but really who the hell needs a biopsych book?”
Mills said providing textbook rental was part of the CU Book Store’s mission to serve students and faculty.
“You know, we are university owned,” she said. “The goal is to provide services to support students and faculty and we felt this option would be a great service to students.”
Mills said she hopes the Book Store can continue to offer the option of rental but that it remains to be seen. Mills also said she hopes students will continue to provide the Book Store with feedback.
“Because we are a student service, we would love to have feedback,” she said. “If people have other ideas or comments or suggestions about the program we would love to hear it. This is just one other option we wanted to offer.”
Contact CU Independent Breaking News Editor Ellie Bean at Beanee@colorado.edu.
