Florala

Issue date: 9/4/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Kal Sumrall BANK-BREAKING BOOKS - A UNA student purchases a textbook at the on campus bookstore

Considering the rising costs of fuel, food and housing, the financial side of college life can be a harrowing subject. Quality, up-to-date textbooks are a necessity for every student, but with some editions
going for as much as $200 each, buying enough books to be prepared for class can be very difficult for the student on a
budget.

At the University of North Alabama, there is no campuswide policy requiring professors to upgrade to a new edition
every time the publishing houses put a new one on the market.

According to UNA speech professor Lisa Darnell, who chaired the committee toselect some of the new textbooks last year, most professors have complete autonomy on textbook choices, even within departments
that offer several sections of the same class under different instructors. The committee reviewed 24 textbooks and took 13 variables into consideration. "What we looked at was what has changed in this edition that would benefit the student,"
Darnell said, "but cost was the decidedly determining factor."

Jim Martin, associate professor of journalism at UNA, is an advocate for cheaper textbooks. He recommends that students check with their instructors to find out if an older, cheaper edition of the text will suffice for the course and purchase a used edition online.

Martin recommends that students check
online at Amazon.com, Half.com, and ABE
Books. A Google search for used textbooks
will often turn up unsuspected bargains, with smaller companies offering used textbooks for a fraction of the cost.

Even with used books on the market, it can
be difficult for an instructor to work a less-expensive copy into the syllabus.

"Sometimes the cheaper edition would
be sufficient, but it is no longer available,"
Martin said. "Our hands are tied as well,
we're just like the students. This is a captive market and we can only use what's out there."

Art department chair Chiong-Yiao Chen
says that her department takes several
steps to reduce the financial burdens of
students. Like Martin, she recommends
that students check into the feasibility of
purchasing used books online.

Also, she has several copies of older

Continued...

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