U Weekly. Serving The Ohio State University in Columbus Ohio

Textbook rental: a new way to shop

And why other stores aren't renting yet

By Kate Liebers

No matter the bookstore, its shelves will most likely be stocked with students grumbling about high textbook prices. Many books carry a tag that exceeds $50 - and that's if you shop early enough to buy a used version. Yet this year, little red stickers on select book spines hint of a shopping salvation: textbook rental.

Beginning this year, College Town bookstore on North High Street is providing students with an option to rent certain textbooks at half the price, new or used. Renters may keep the books until the last day of finals. If not returned, the student's credit card is charged the rest of the full price of the book.

While students sacrifice the option of selling their books back, employee Jessie Steck pointed out that students can save a lot of money at the initial purchase.

"I think it's a good program because it saves the students money, and we're definitely going to get the books back at the end of the quarter," said Steck.

Yet, that tricky topic of knowing which texts stores want back at the end of the quarter is what's keeping the rest of the local bookstores from offering rental options.

Chuck Evan, manager at Buckeye Books on North High Street, said the shop considered offering rentals when the policy seemed to be successful at other schools. But at a large school like Ohio State University, where books are more likely to change from quarter to quarter, Evan said renting isn't cost effective.

If professors worked more closely with bookstores, and if managers could be assured that a book would be used consistently for two or more years at substantial volumes, then renting could be more likely, he said.

"Bookstores aren't involved in the decision making," he said. "The professors decide what they need."

While College Town might not have the instructor's guarantee that a book will be used in future quarters, manager Toby Weisend said it's about gauging "the propensity to be used across all campuses."

Weisend declined to comment on the business risks, yet students seem to be taking the store up on the offer.

"Most people, if their books are available to rent, are opting to rent them," said Steck.

This year, Weisend said the most popular books - about 25 percent of the College Town stock - is available to rent.

Back in the shelves, where students still bemoan their imminent impoverishment by textbook, OSU senior Carlie Kamieniecki remembered wrapping up one quarter by collecting $4 for a book she bought for $50.

Yet for many general education curriculum textbooks, she said she might get 75 percent back at most, and usually around half.

Also, as in selling back textbooks, the quality of the book is considered when returning rentals. Steck said that if books are returned significantly damaged, renters are charged a small processing fee, as well as the rest of the full price.

However, Steck assured that would apply if a book was essentially "destroyed."

"If you're planning on selling it back anyway, [renting] is definitely the way to go," said Steck.

Originally Published: January 6, 2010

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