| One of the most demanding investments we make | | | | |
| in our college years is in college books. | | | | NEW/USED COLLEGE BOOKS (this site is an |
| When I was in school, both in undergraduate | | | | amalgamation, a search engine for all the |
| and graduate school, though I was an English | | | | connecting bookstores online) |
| Lit major, my books were from 100 to 500 | | | | |
| dollars a semester. | | | | Another strategy you might have seen-unless |
| | | | you just started school and have not seen the |
| I went about the first week of the semester | | | | campus facilities, yet-is the common bulletin |
| feeling so sorry for myself . . . until I saw | | | | board system: you post a request for a |
| some of the other major's college books and | | | | particular title along with your phone number |
| prices: psychology, 100; engineering, 200; | | | | outside of the department, in the cafeteria, |
| math, 200. But keep in mind there are | | | | and wherever else a bulletin board allows |
| alternatives today, thanks to in large part | | | | public postings. (Be sure you have gotten |
| the Internet. | | | | approval for posting from the associated |
| | | | students or others, who will date stamp your |
| First, you have to get over the elitist | | | | ad, else the flyers can and might be torn |
| attitude that you need all brand new books. | | | | down.) |
| If the book is available on the shelf in the | | | | |
| college bookstore used, go for it. Or check | | | | There's one more strategy that some of my |
| the used bookstores in town: for anyone | | | | students have tried-sometimes with great |
| living in the San Francisco Bay Area, that is | | | | success, other times with not so great |
| much more of a possibility, as we have Moe's | | | | success: two people share in the cost of a |
| Books in Berkeley, Green Apple Books on | | | | new college book. They take turns using the |
| Clement Street, and hundreds of independent | | | | book, especially since they live together and |
| bookstores. | | | | or are in the same class. |
| | | | |
| As well, sites like the world-renowned EBay | | | | But by the same token that peer group workers |
| give us access to booksellers the world over, | | | | can have one peer who is flaky or who takes |
| and you can usually (if you don't have time | | | | on in the middle of the semester or who has a |
| to bid on a book, as you need it within a | | | | tragedy hit (when he or she has the necessary |
| week) take the "Buy Now" option. EBay | | | | materials and cannot get them to the group), |
| sellers, from my experience thus far, are | | | | so might you encounter a sharer of your |
| fast. I have gotten books mailed from the UK | | | | source materials, just when it is your turn |
| to the US in under five days! | | | | to use one and just when the partner is |
| | | | nowhere to be found. Of course, some |
| Next, there are appropriate venders outside | | | | students have taken the expense of |
| of EBay online. Here are a few that my own | | | | photocopying chapters, but that seems to be |
| students have used over the years: | | | | overkill (of time and nerves), especially now |
| | | | that we have tools to enhance our book-buying |
| NEW COLLEGE BOOKS | | | | experience. |