For freshmen, the bill hits like a punch in the stomach. For upperclassmen, the numbers reopen the wounds from last semester. It is safe to say that there is no activity on campus more universally loathed than buying books. As someone who is paying his own way through RPI, it certainly is not on my list of favorite things to do. This phenomenon, however, is not local to RPI; it occurs in a very similar manner across the country. It cannot be denied that because students need books there are huge profits to be made in the textbook industry. Yet the sale of books and most importantly the pricing structure of that system involves a tremendous amount of misunderstanding. Each year people get angry, make accusations, and make assumptions about processes they have not taken the time to investigate, and as a result the Union Bookstore unfairly bears the brunt of this anger.
The most important thing to understand about the bookstore is the fact that it is just like every other Union service; it is entirely student-run for the exclusive benefit of the students. This means that the money circles right back into the Union to support your clubs, your teams, and other services the Union supports. Also, no profit is made on textbook sales. The bookstore earns absolutely nothing on each book sold. Five years ago, the Rensselaer Union Business Operations Committee, again a group of students, developed a pricing strategy for the bookstore that allows the bookstore to charge only the base price of the book plus operating expenses related to the sale of that book. These operating expenses are calculated by combining the costs the bookstore faces for things such as shipping charges, return fees, and staffing. This is a student-run operation; the budgets and policies are thoroughly reviewed and approved by your peers, and you can be sure that your book price doesn’t include hidden charges. Thanks to these policies, the books you find in the bookstore are usually cheaper than you would find elsewhere.
I’d like to clarify two additional areas of confusion which often result in unfair rumors and distrust. First, yes, it is true that you can buy a used book from someone else and save money. You can do this in person or online and either way save money that way. Used books are a whole different ballgame in terms of market pricing. Yet when it comes to new editions, the playing field is fairly even. The bookstore pays the same price that online retailers do and these retailers have to work hard to undercut the bookstore’s prices. I found that one of my books the semester was $10 cheaper online, but then I read the description more carefully and realized it was the paperback version while the bookstore had the hardcover edition. Also of note is the fact that books sold at the Union Bookstore are often customized versions, including supplements such as CDs or course packs. Every semester there is at least one person reduced to tears because the version they bought online did not include the right material. Secondly, the bookstore orders as many used books as is possible, and sometimes can offer used book pricing for entire classes. Also, when you sell books back at the end of the semester, they are sold to used book distributors, not the bookstore. The prices offered for your books are determined by the distributors at a national level and are returned to their inventories.
Please do not get me wrong; I am not making excuses for the price you pay for your books each semester. I am only trying to reassure you that not only is the bookstore is not out to take your money but they work diligently to provide you the lowest price textbooks available. If you have any questions regarding the bookstore, please do not hesitate to contact me at pu@rpi.edu or Mike McDermott, Director of Union Business Operations (mcderm@rpi.edu).
