Friday, August 14, 2009

Textbooks for rent

Textbooks have always been incredibly expensive. In my day you simply bought them (new or used), then sold them back (used). A lot of money changed hands, but the college bookstore seemed to come out best in the transaction. Now publishers are looking to rent directly to students, according to the NY Times.

NYT: With college textbooks often costing more than $100 apiece...many students try to save by buying used books or ordering books from overseas, where they can often cost half the domestic price. Many students also resell textbooks at the end of the academic year, feeding the used-book market. Besides giving students a new option, rentals give both publishers and textbook authors a way to continue earning money from their books after the first sale, something they do not get from the sale of used textbooks... More.

No comments: