College Stores Offering Affordable Textbook Rentals in Record Numbers

/PRNewswire/ -- Last week, The National Association of College Stores (NACS) issued the first in a series of releases on the choices college stores are offering students to make course materials more affordable--used textbooks. This week, NACS identifies another option.

Option #2 Rentals

As of fall 2010, textbook rental services will be offered by approximately one-half of NACS' more than 3,000 member stores in the U.S. and Canada, up from only 200-300 stores last fall. Most campuses will offer hybrid rental programs that allow students to rent textbooks for entry-level courses.

"More college stores are offering these options, and rentals can give students temporary access to course materials for about one-third to one-half the price of buying new texts," says Charles Schmidt, NACS' director of public relations.

The award winning textbook rental program within California's San Mateo County Community College system has saved students $1.2 million since 2005 and inspired money-saving rental programs at other colleges nationwide. In addition, federal law is encouraging schools to explore low-cost textbook options, particularly rentals.

"Textbook rental can be an attractive option for students whose economic situation is such that price is the over-riding determinant of whether or not they will have a textbook," says Schmidt. "Our members are committed to ensuring students have the academic tools they need to succeed, and the textbook is primary in that - no matter how accessed or in what format."

Rentals are best for larger, introductory courses because the material doesn't change. In addition, rental might be most appropriate for classes not in a student's major course of study.

"For an engineering major taking a philosophy course to fulfill a humanities requirement, renting textbooks might make sense," Schmidt notes. "However, a chemistry major will often refer back to his/her Introduction to Organic Chemistry text later in their academic career, and maybe even in their professional career, so buying makes more sense."

"By offerings these options, college stores are helping provide college students with affordable course materials to ensure their academic success."

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Fight the Recession and High Cost of College Text Books -- Skoobit Helps Parents Save Hundreds on Textbooks for Students in College

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Although the current American economy is in a recession, the cost to send kids to college—and to purchase textbooks—is still on the rise. For parents who are making ends meet on tighter budgets, Skoobit, an online textbook rental service, will help to achieve money-saving goals.

Skoobit provides a cost-efficient service that allows students to rent the textbooks they need for the period of time they need them without having to buy the books and sell them back for cents on the dollar. To take advantage of this revolutionary opportunity, simply visit www.skoobit.com to register. Skoobit’s website is very user-friendly and provides a variety of different plans, with the most popular plan being $10.99 a month per book. Skoobit will also provide FREE shipping and handling for both the renting and returning of the textbooks.

Christopher Blythe, founder of Skoobit, realized that textbooks can cost an average of $300-$400 per semester, and he was determined to create a solution to alleviate some of the financial stress related to obtaining an education. As a result, Blythe developed a way in which Skoobit’s services can in some cases help students rent every textbook they need for around the cost of purchasing just one overpriced book.

“Hopefully more parents and students will recognize that textbook rental is the most cost-efficient way to go,” said Blythe. “Students shouldn’t spend hundreds of dollars on books they won’t keep when there is a reasonable alternative.”

By taking advantage of economical opportunities like Skoobit, parents and students don’t have to be victims of America’s financial situation. They can be survivors.

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