With the posting of the timetable Tuesday, UW-Madison freshman Simon Davenport will soon begin planning for next semester. A new semester means new classes and Davenport is not looking forward to buying textbooks.
\[Last semester] I spent $350,"" he said. ""I was bitter.""
Students like Simon, angry over the costs of required books, may join the growing number of students buying books overseas. The same textbook in another country may be significantly cheaper-more than half off.
For example, Introduction to Social Psychology 530 uses Social Psychology, which costs $95.95 on Amazon.com, the U. S. homepage for Amazon booksellers. Amazon.co.uk the British homepage for Amazon, charges ??29.99, the equivalent of $50.23.
Steve Scheibel, textbook manager for the University Book Store, said textbook sellers are not at fault for higher prices. The profit margins are the same in every country but the prices offered by publishers to bookstores vary.
""[In countries like] Indonesia, Korea and the Philippines, a $100 engineering textbook might be a months wages,"" he said.
'Grey market' textbook seller, BookCentral.com, exploits textbook prices in foreign markets. But students may be getting comparable savings already.
As Scheibel explained, ""We have a really successful used book program in Madison where prices can compete with [foreign] markets. A $95 dollar textbook might be $72 plus $8 shipping from Great Britain. We sell it used for $75.""
A third option growing in popularity is Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group's Bookswap, which allows students to sell textbooks at prices they choose. The database of available textbooks can be found at
Booksellers said they are also upset about textbook prices. The National Association of College Stores wrote a letter to book publishers in March in protest of the higher prices.
""Most [college stores] operate as a student service, and are not out to make a huge profit on textbooks. We'll make a profit on other things."" NACS Representative Laura Nakoneczny said, ""Textbooks are things students need ... It's a matter of principle versus business. We're not seeing the marketshare leave [to overseas bookstores] but why can't American students get the same price breaks?""
Scheibel sees NACS's role differently, as a force to regulate channels bringing foreign textbooks to America.
But in the absence of drastically changing prices, Davenport said he does not look forward to spending another $350 dollars next semester.
""I've never spent so much for a dead tree,"" Davenport said.
