Lines are longer than usual. It’s the end of the semester and TJC students are beginning to register for Spring 2011. Many college students receive Financial Aid and student loans, but for those who pay out of pocket they are always hop- ing to find the best deal possible on books and supplies.
“If my mother didn’t pay my tuition and buy my books I don’t know what I would have done, being a college student without a job right now,” said Shonda Culberson, who is a TJC sophomore.
For those who need to find that reasonable deal, the TJC bookstore (on campus), College Books (off campus) and different websites offer tips before purchasing textbooks and supplies.
A huge black and gold sign reading “College Books” is located above the bookstore at 1232 E. Fifth St. and has been in business for 39 years stat- ing that they are “your off campus store for your on campus needs.”
It’s a privately owned store that has supplies ranging from textbooks, t-shirts, nursing school supplies, backpacks, sweat pants and sweat shirts.
“Our bookstore sells new and used books and we are here to help students however we can,” said Ann Clower, manager of College Books.
The bookstore is a friendly environment; the workers greet students with a smile on their face as they enter the store.
“We enjoy the students. We have a good time meeting the many new faces, try to be helpful.
Students from years ago still come in and visit us,” said Clower.
Although College Books doesn’t rent books, that is something that has been consid- ered and if they start renting books it will be fall of next year.
The TJC bookstore has a new textbook rental program launched by Follett Higher Education Group. The TJC bookstore saved students $53,000 on course materials this fall alone. Combined with the savings provided by used books and eBooks, this means that TJC students saved almost $175,000 over the cost of new books.
“With our new rental option, we helped a record number of students save on the cost of course materials and have rented more than 1,500 textbooks,” said Rebecca Boothby, book- store manager of the TJC Bookstore.
The TJC bookstore sells books, supplies and almost all the materials college students need for school and campus life. According to topsite.com/best/textbooks.
com, these are the top five websites when buying or renting textbooks on the Internet.
The number one web site when buying books from the Internet is Textbookrevolution. com. Number two, is chegg.com, which is num- ber one in textbook rentals; its motto is “don’t buy it, rent college textbooks from us and save a ton on books.” Number three, Bigwords.com compares textbook prices at four stores whether students are buying or selling.
Number four, Bookfinder.com, is a book shopping search engine, plus a search of 12 directories of used, rare, and out of print booksellers, searches for new and used books.
Last is campusbooks.com; it compares new and used prices at US retailers and helps give a variety of ways in preparing to buy books and makes sure to get the least expensive price available.
