Textbook Rentals Estimated to Save $400,000
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In the first weeks of the new academic year, students attending Central, Eastern, Southern and Western Connecticut State Universities have saved an estimated $400,000 off new book prices by renting, rather than buying, textbooks for their classes. The four universities in the Connecticut State University System (CSUS) launched the new rental program this year in association with Barnes & Noble, which operates the university bookstores.
Across the university system, students have rented 10,849 textbooks thus far this semester, which is 91 percent of the titles available for rent. The new rental program allows students to rent textbooks for less than 50 percent of the cost of purchasing a new textbook. In the first semester of the program, just over one-third of class sections had textbooks available to rent, a total of nearly 1,100 different titles.
“We are well aware that purchasing textbooks is a very real financial burden for many of our students and their families. We are very pleased that our students are taking advantage of this new cost-saving alternative,” said L. David Panciera, Chairman of the Board’s Student Life Committee.
Nearly one-quarter of all the textbooks assigned by faculty were included in the rental program. Students attending the four CSUS institutions are able to rent their books from either the university bookstore or online at the bookstore website.
“With the overwhelming response, we anticipate the program will expand over time and prove to be of increasing value to our students,” said CSUS Chancellor David G. Carter. “We also appreciate the efforts of Barnes & Noble and our faculty in bringing this choice to our students.”
Effective this month, the federal Higher Education Reauthorization Act requires that colleges and universities make efforts to provide information about required textbooks that students can use to save money. Publishers now must provide faculty with information that will allow them to consider price and other options when determining books to require for their classes.
Each CSUS university bookstore has a dedicated webpage with detailed information on the textbook rental program, including a list of frequently asked questions and answers. For links to the university sites, visit www.ct.edu/textbooks.
Students can highlight or mark the rented books just as they would if they purchased a book and planned to sell it back to the bookstore. The rental period lasts for the duration of the semester. Books are due back at the bookstore no later than 10 days after the last day of finals. Students can return the books in person or by mail. Courtesy e-mails will be sent out as the end of the semester approaches, reminding students to return their books.
The Connecticut State University System is the state’s largest public university system, with more than 36,000 students. Tuition costs are among the lowest for public universities in the Northeast. CSUS granted a record-setting 7,005 academic degrees and certificates to the class of 2010.
