Textbook prices are always a concern for students because, as with student fees, the cost continues to increase. The high cost of textbooks come from so-called “updated” versions being released. Publishers make insignificant changes to the book in order to justify raising the cost. While the events of the Civil War and the Great Depression haven’t changed since this past spring semester, inevitably, an “updated” and more expensive American history textbook was probably released. Subsequently, professors list this book as required and students have to pay more for what is essentially the same content as last semester.

Follett Higher Education Group, a private for-profit company that owns over 700 college bookstores across the country, operates the new bookstore. As with any private for-profit company, the main goal is, of course, generating profit. Where would the motivation for lowering textbook costs for students come from if a private company operates the bookstore?

FEG ranks 133 out of 500 in the Forbes Magazine listing of the largest private companies in the United States. Lowering the cost of textbooks, and thus cutting their profits, doesn’t seem like something that would be in their self-interest.

The Student Public Interest Research Group, which is made up of several other nationwide research groups, including California, released a three-year report published in October of 2006 on the tactics publishers use to raise prices of textbooks. They found, for example, that publishers justify increasing the price of textbooks by: Making frivolous changes to textbooks, such as changing the cover and layout while not changing the content and raising the price of it; Bundling textbooks with workbooks or CD-ROM which eliminates the possibility of a student selling the book back to the bookstore because of the “one-time use component” (bundles books are usually shrink-wrapped) of the workbooks or CD-ROM; Some textbooks remain unchanged, but publishers increase the price anyway. However, another tactic has gotten FHEG in trouble in Florida.

FHEG, along with Daytona Beach Community College, is the subject of a $5 million lawsuit for illegally raising the price of textbooks by rounding up the cost of used textbooks 25 cents and by not buying back textbooks for at least 50 percent of the retail price as stated in its contract with the school.

The recent passing of Assembly Bill 1548, among other things, states, “An abridged, alternate format, or alternate version of a standard textbook shall not be considered a new edition” and requires the publisher to provide a list of the substantial content changes from previous editions.

Finding books to buy (and sell) online is the best way to go. Half.com and Amazon.com allow individuals to buy and sell from other people and stores. Incredibly cheap books can be found on these sites, but do some research and compare Half.com, Amazon.com, Textbooks.com and others. Get the ISBN numbers for all of your textbooks from the bookstore before the semester begins and find them at these online sites.

The reserve room of the library carries textbooks for classes. However, a student can only check out these books between two hours and one week and the library may not have multiple copies. The library would better serve its students if it kept multiple copies of textbooks, thus allowing students to have the books for a longer period.

Professors need to make students aware that there are alternatives to buying from the bookstore. They should be checking the prices of their textbooks online and inform students of the cheapest prices.

The issue of ownership/operation of a bookstore makes a difference in the cost of textbooks. Take UC Berkeley for example. According to an article in The Daily Californian, “While Follett Higher Education Group is UC Berkeley’s textbook distributor, its bookstore is run by the Associated Students of the University of California instead of the university.” Greg Kiryakakis, a Follett employee and director of the Cal Student Store said this is, “Highly unusual for the company?because the ASUC represents the students directly, it has the student’s interests in mind when thinking about textbooks?this keeps prices unusually low for UC Berkeley students.”

Buying and selling online is really the way to go for students. I sell all the textbooks I don’t keep on Half.com for 75 cents so other students can benefit. While it is tempting to try to make your money back, it feels better to know that a fellow college student (who may be as broke as you) is getting a great deal.

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Contact Scott Allen in the Opinion department at

(916) 278-7567.