Buy Back The Book!

It’s that time of the year, your final exam is within a couple weeks and besides winter break, the only thing on your mind right now is money, BOOK MONEY. That’s right folks, it’s almost “buy-back books” time on campus! You sit in class, restless, waiting to get you panther paws on those crisp Washingtons, anticipating the sum like the boa awaits its prey.

You’re in line now. You’ve waited for this moment ever since you spent a phone bill worth of your refund money to buy the now arguably useless reads. The birds sing, the trees dance, and the girl proceeds to scan. “No, nope, no, sorry, not this one, annnnd no,” she stoically tells you. All at once, you realize that none of your books have been accepted as a “buy-back”. No crisp Washingtons. Despair crawls up your spine. Your world has just ended.

That experience I just shared with you was in deed my experience just a semester ago. The reason for my misfortune: The Faculty did not require my book for the next semester. It wasn’t because my books were worn or torn or tainted by highlighters and red ink edits. Even if my books were still sealed in plastic with that new book smell they’d still be rejected. How can this be fair?

I have to interject quickly and say that I understand that the University has to make money where it can. But that’s why we have pizza joints, parking permits and vending machines. Can you imagine how much money GSU makes off vending machines alone? These services are fair trades. Both parties, student and server, are satisfied, as is not the case with buying back books.

So why not just sell the book online? I think the better question is, “Why should I have to use my time to TRY and sell a book in hopes of making at least half of the shelf cost?” We pay the University to convenience US. The reality, however, is that the bookstore can’t buy back every book. It’s not reasonable or efficient. I spoke with staff at the University bookstore and was politely informed that a number of factors are considered when Faculty constructs this list of non-refundable book.

So what can be done about this? The solution I’m proposing is very simple and will benefit both parties: automatic half-price refund. I get half, you keep half, fair trade. What will the bookstore do with all the extra books? Sell them back to the manufacturer or better yet, donate them! Leaving the books with resistant students will only create more book-made coffee tables and dust collectors. Buy back the book!