We’re college students. We need textbooks. And yet, they’re so expensive, causing a hefty dent in our pockets and a weighty load on our backs every semester.
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Somehow I’ve gotten away with not having buy any textbooks for the majority of my semesters in college, and I’m a senior. Maybe it’s because of the classes I take. Maybe it’s because I’m resourceful. Maybe both. Here’s the process I go through when hunting down textbooks at the beginning of every semester.
Is it available online?
Google the name of the textbook + “PDF download.” If you can’t find it, see if a classmate has found it.
It it on reserve at the library?
Professors will often request a required textbook to be on reserve at the library. If the library doesn’t have the textbook, you can ask your professor to try putting in a request for it.
Although it can be annoying having to visit the library every time you want to use the textbook, I found that having a set time and place to use the textbook motivated me to stay on task and be more efficient with my time.
Even better, is it not on reserve at another library?
Being part of a consortium means that we have so many resources available to us. I always feel like I’ve stumbled upon a treasure when I find a textbook available at a different campus and it isn’t on reserve, which means that I can take it back to my dorm and use it to my heart’s content.
Can I find a friend or past student to borrow it from?
I mean, what are they going to do with the textbook anyway? It’s not like they’re going to retake the course. Hopefully. But also, bless their kind hearts.
Can I find a friend or past student to buy it from?
Browse Textbook Exchange on Facebook to see if there are any students reselling their textbooks for cheap.
Is it available at the Penn bookstore?
Depending on the class you’re trying to find the textbook for, you may or may not be able to find the same textbook at the Penn bookstore. Did you know that they do price matching for new, used, and used rental textbooks?
Is there an e-copy or used copy I can rent via Amazon?
Well, it’s cheaper than a new copy I guess. You can also check out SlugBooks to compare prices.
Do you have any tips about finding textbooks?