Eric Bennett is taking a microbiology course at UTC but hasn’t been able to buy the $200 textbook.
“I want to have it because there’s information the professor may not cover that’s in the book, or if there’s something that I’m not sure of that he explained in class I can go back and look at it,” he said. “But it’s not something I can afford at the moment.”
To help students like Mr. Bennett, a senior majoring in premedical biology, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga — together with its on-campus bookstore contractor Barnes & Noble College Booksellers — is one of the latest campuses to adopt a one-year pilot program for renting textbooks.
Starting this fall, the university will offer about 20 percent of the books for rent for less than 50 percent of the cost of purchasing a new textbook, according to a news release.
Universitywide, students can save about $655,000 a year if they rent the books versus buying them new, said Debbie Parker, associate vice chancellor for business and financial affairs at UTC.
“The price of going to college for university students is increasing,” Mrs. Parker said. “We’re just looking for any ways we can save (the students) money.”
HOW THE BOOK RENTAL WORKS* Students can pay the rental fees using any form of payment accepted by the bookstore, including student financial aid and campus debit cards.* 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.* Students can convert their rental to a purchase during the first two weeks of class.* The rental period is for the duration of the term/semester; books are due back at the bookstore no later than 10 days after the last day of finals.* Courtesy e-mails will go out as the end of the term/semester approaches, reminding students to return their books; books not returned, or returned in unusable condition, will be subject to replacement and processing fees.Source: University of Tennessee at ChattanoogaON THE WEB* www.utc.bncollege.com
Although rental programs are not new, they’re becoming a national trend, said Charles Schmidt, spokesman for the National Association of College Stores based in Oberlin, Ohio.
The number of college bookstores that offer rentals has risen from about 250 last fall to more than 1,000 this fall, or about one-third of the association’s 3,000 members, he said.
“As far as our members are concerned, it’s another option for students,” he said. Although, he added, the rental program is not the best option for every course.
“Renting is fine for say, a geology course for a government-major student, but for certain poly-sci books you may want to keep for your personal library, rental is not the best option,” he said.
Mr. Bennett, 30, who graduates from UTC in August, said book rentals are something the university should have done a long time ago.
“If you are taking 12 hours, you are probably going to spend, if you buy them in the bookstore, $400 to $500 (on books),” he said.
“Worrying about tuition is one thing, and then you have to worry about spending that much on books. It’s kind of hard on students, especially on the younger ones,” he added.
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