Used textbooks?

[Owlie]

Because it's in an urban area and relatively small, my university doesn't have a lot the "associated" businesses like unaffiliated bookstores and stuff like that. The closest we have is the obligatory sketchy Chinese takeout place!

[NbyNW]

My college had a Reserves section in the library where professors could request that several copies of popular or rare books required for their classes would be kept, and could only be checked out for 2-3 hours at a time. It was a good option if you didn't want to buy every book on the reading list. Sometimes there was a wait, but you knew you would be able to get access to the books.

Some professors are also moving towards e-Reserves systems/paperless . . . depends on the subject area and whether it is okay with publishers, but in my experience that can save a lot of money, too.

It's also possible to set up informal book sharing arrangements with other students, or bypass the campus bookstore by buying used directly from another student, i.e., cut out the middleman. Just have to start talking to people, maybe post a want ad in the right place?

[nolemom]

As a community college professor, I am aware that this is an enormous burden for our students. There was a recent article in the New York Times on the subject: http://bucks.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/...me&ref=general
The new federal guidelines at a minimum require that all of the textbook information be available before you sign up for the class so you can make an informed decision concerning the cost of the books required. Also, we now have to justify the decision to switch textbooks and publishers can no longer bundle materials (a process that inflates the cost by encouraging professors to require materials that may or may not be necessary). Publishers must also publish the cost of the book to the student when they are marketing it to professors.