A group of University friends created a Website last semester as an alternative to the “book-buying blues.”
BookXchange.net allows students to buy and sell textbooks directly with other students instead of going to a bookstore.
“It’s like an online notice-board,” Website inventor Anne Nguyen said. “We do it for the students.”
Nguyen, a finance senior, explained that students can search for books at BookXchange.net without any requirements. Users only have to create an account to communicate with other users or post a book.
To create the anonymous account, all users need to do is give a nickname and an e-mail address.
“I would use it if I’d be saving money,” said Amy Zweighaft, mass communication freshman.
Nguyen said that since the site has been public for just a month, only 200 to 250 books have been posted, but she hopes to get more.
“Other students are part of it, too,” Gabriel Sison said when asked whether or not he would trust the Website. “For the most part, they just want to help each other out.”
Nguyen said she started the site with her computer science friends at the beginning of last semester to practice their programming skills.
They finished later than expected, so they did not start to publicize until December. Nguyen said the late start was actually prosperous because students were starting to sell back books at that time.
She said that it costs her and her friends about $30 a month for the Web server,
but the Website is completely nonprofit.
Nguyen said she has seen other universities with Web sites like this, but did not know of any for LSU.
She said she hopes to be sponsored by the University someday to add credibility to the Website, and perhaps even link it to PAWS to be convenient for students.
Associate Director of Contracted Auxiliary Services Jason Tolliver said that the University receives profits from the bookstore and currently sells books only through the LSU Bookstore.
“The University is interested in the best interest of the students and the best interest of the University,” Tolliver said. He said if enough students approached the University, sponsorship would be considered.
Nguyen and friends hope to expand someday to offer more than just books to LSU students. They hope to post other necessities for college life like roommates, apartments, laptops, tutoring and guitar lessons in other local universities.