Students attending Indiana State University have a number of options when they are shopping for textbooks, ISU's bookstore being among the most utilized.
Kelby Scrougham, a sophomore athletic training major, and Sam Miller, a junior nursing major, both purchase their textbooks from the bookstore but through different venues.
"I normally buy my books in the bookstore," Scrougham said.
Many students purchase their textbooks onsite, but others find ways that are more suited to them.
"I buy mine over at the bookstore but through the website because they let me know of possible changes," Miller said.
Rachel Mundell, manager of the ISU bookstore, believes Miller's method is the easiest.
"The easiest thing for students to do is our online reservations," Mundell said. "All students have to do is plug in their information and preference. The books can be shipped to the store, their house or the residential hall they are staying in."
The amount of books ordered varies each semester, said Karen DiScala, manager and corporate communications for Barnes & Noble College Booksellers.
She said it depends on past enrollments for each class, projected enrollments and the overall sales history for the textbooks.
"We monitor pre-enrollment carefully to ensure we have enough books for every student who needs one," said DiScala.
DiScalla explained in detail how books are obtained for college bookstores in ways that benefit students the most.
"We order books that are requested by faculty members for their classes," DiScala said. "We first try to secure as many used books as possible on campus through our Cash for Books program. Then we go to the national used book market to get as many additional used books as possible. Lastly, we order new books to round out our inventory. If a digital version of a textbook is available we also make that option available."
The ISU Bookstore's book return policy—which helps future students get reasonably priced book as well as reimburse current ones—is easy to understand.
"Used books are offered at twenty five percent off their original price," Mundell said. "We are very flexible about our return policy. If you come in and say ‘I don't need this book' we'll refund it for you if it has been paid for [at this bookstore]."
DiScala and Mundell said it is up to the students' preference whether they order online or shop in-store.
For the fall 2010 semester, a new option is being added to the list through the bookstore.
"Barnes & Noble conducted a survey a year ago that resulted in the company expanding their rental program, which was then expanded to include ISU," said John Beacon, ISU's vice president for enrollment management, marketing and communications. "Roughly a fourth of all books will qualify, so students will most likely have a combination of rented and purchased books this first year."
When asked about the advantages of renting a textbook over buying one, Beacon outlined the process using a hypothetical $100 textbook.
"Say a book costs $100," Beacon said. "It will be rented for fifty percent of its cost as a onetime fee. If it is returned after being dropped in a puddle or with yellow marker on every page, the student will have to purchase it. Students also have the option to purchase the book within two weeks of renting it."
Students have until ten days after the semester ends to return any books they have rented; otherwise, they will have to purchase the book along with paying additional rental fees Beacon said.
Cost is certainly a factor that plays a part in determining how and where students obtain their books.
"For the first semester of my freshman year, I spent $500 because I didn't know anyone I could borrow from," Scrougham said. "Last semester I only spent between $200 and $300 because I had cheaper resources. If I have to order a book, I borrow them from some of the upperclassman in athletic training until mine comes in."
Different majors require different, and sometimes more expensive, textbooks.
"Since I'm a nursing major, as an average I spend somewhere between $900 and $2000," Miller said. "I just save up ahead of time. I had two huge boxes of books I had to get last semester."
Beacon hopes that students being able to rent books will help relieve anxiety.
"Nobody has to rent," said Beacon. "This is not a profit for the university but a service for the students. It's going to save students money."