On the second day of the fall semester, Nicholas Smith paced in the Union Bookstore with his class schedule hanging in the balance.
The political science junior compared textbook prices. He is still in the process of finalizing his schedule, choosing classes that use the cheapest textbooks. He spends an average of $400 on books each semester, he said.
“Textbooks are really expensive these days, and I’m trying to save as much as I can,” he said.
Smith, and thousands of other students, are experiencing a nationwide trend of rising textbook prices, one that is expounded by innovative publishing, bookstore competition and other local factors.
In 2005, the United States Government Accountability Office published a report stating that since 1986, textbook prices have tripled, increasing twice as fast as the national rate of inflation. The GAO report said annual textbook purchases over the past few years have averaged nearly $900 per student.
“[Prices] always rise,” said Mark Kraner, director of Contracted Auxiliary Services. “We don’t have anything to do with the price of books.”
Kraner said price increases are caused by a combination of factors, some beyond the University’s control.
THE PUBLISHERS
According to the National Association of College Stores, nearly 65 percent of textbook sale profits return to the publisher, and approximately half of that covers printing costs. Kraner said publishers are finding more ways to increase their financial returns.
“[Publishers] have a program going,” he said. “They’ve got stockholders they must generate income for and they try to do better things with their books.”
Kraner said these improvements include using more pictures, visual aids and bigger margins for note-taking.
“That just means more pages,” he said. “And more pages means more money.”
Kraner said publishers are increasingly packaging textbooks into “bundles” with additional materials, including computer software and workbooks. He said this becomes a problem when semesters come to a close and students try to sell the materials back.
“When we try to buy that book back from you, the only thing that’s good in [the bundle] is the book,” he said. “You may never have touched the software or workbook, but we cannot buy it back. We can’t buy software back because [we] don’t know what you did to it when you owned it.”
Nick Richard, manager of Chimes Textbook Exchange, said publishers revise textbooks more frequently, forcing students to purchase new editions. Books that were once revised on three-year cycles may now be revised every year, he said.
Kraner said more frequent revisions decrease the value of used textbooks, often leaving students with little to no compensation at buy-back time.
According to the GAO report, used books can fetch half of the new retail price if instructors opt to use the books again. If instructors decide to order new books, however, students could receive as little as 5 percent of the initial price.
THE PROFESSORS
Publishers are not the only contributors to the problem. Professors often indirectly influence rising prices. When professors choose a book for their course, Kraner said the University is bound to the decision and can no longer negotiate book prices.
Kraner said the University asks professors which books they will use in the upcoming semester by mid-term exams, but nearly 40 percent of professors have not decided on next semester’s books at buy-back time. This not only forces the University to buy used books at wholesale price, but if a professor then chooses to use the same books again, the University must buy new versions of the same books.
Liz Dunn, Student Government assistant director of academics, said nearly 20 percent of University professors usually have not chosen their books a week before classes start.
“When professors wait so long, we have a problem getting the textbooks in, and they become more expensive,” said Micah Davies, SG executive adviser.
THE PLAN
While unable to combat national publishing prices, University representatives are working on ways to ease textbook-related burdens on students.
Dunn said the SG executive staff is working to purchase an online textbook exchange that provides cheaper options for students. SG is also focused on making the book-buying process more efficient.
“We want book requests from professors sooner,” Dunn said. “There’s no reason if a professor knows what [he or she] is teaching that, by the end of the semester, they can’t have [their books]. That’s unacceptable.”
Kraner said the University tries to purchase any used textbook students may try to sell.
“We fight to buy them back,” he said. “So we do try to figure out the system. If we can save you a dollar, we’re going to go for it.”
Both Kraner and Dunn also said digital textbooks are cheaper options. Paul Stevenson, general manager of LSU Bookstore, said approximately 50 digital titles are available for purchase, but demand for them has not been high.
Kraner said no digital textbooks were purchased last year.
THE PURCHASERS
Students seem to be aware of the tactics publishers are utilizing to increase prices, and Smith is no exception.
“What’s the answer to 99 percent of all questions?” he said. “Money. Publishers want the money. The writer wants the money. I’m not saying the school, because the school really has nothing to do with that.”
Jeff Murray, construction management junior, said he is upset with his experience selling used books.
“We deserve more money when we sell back our textbooks in order to pay for new textbooks,” he said. “If I need textbooks, I buy them used. I don’t buy new ones.”
Some students, however, are satisfied with their textbook situations.
“So far [the experience] has been good,” said Caleb Traylor, history junior. “I’ve paid like $127 for four books so far. Some of them are expensive, but I understand why – because a lot goes into it. I have no gripes.”
Smith has his own gripes, but he said there is not much he can do about it.
“What would I rather do,” he said. “Not buy the book and fail the class, or buy the book and pass the class?”
—-Contact Parker Wishik at [email protected]