Book buyback begins

As classes come to an end and students scrape money together for post-stress parties, the great book buyback begins.

LSA first-year student Kim Adams said she wants to sell back her books "to get the money."

She said her friends will most likely buy her books, but if they do not she would sell them back to the store.

Textbook stores across campus are gearing up to tackle lines and hand out money to eager students.

Ross, a cashier at Ulrich's Bookstore who did not wish to have his last name published, comes in to help during rush periods. He said the store is planning to begin buying back textbooks on Monday.

"Sometime next week, they'll be lined up out the door," Ross said.

Ulrich's does not buy back books until next week. Students who straggle in this week are told to come back.

He said Ulrich's pays half the new list price for a book that will be used by the course next semester. They turn away books that are not being used.

Michigan Union Bookstore General Manager John Battaglino said the Michigan Union Bookstore also buys back for half of the new retail price of books.

Battaglino said the store gets a retail price from the manufacturer, then sells a new book for that price or a used book for 75 percent of that price. A student selling back a once used book would receive the same pay off as a student selling back a twice used book.

LSA junior Ryo Sekine said he was not selling his books back because he uses them for studying and reference. He said the selling back process was not for him.

"It's a hassle," Sekine said. He said he expected to receive 20 to 30 percent of the books' original value back from the store.

Engineering junior Patrick Bonnell agreed the prices were not fair.

He said that in his first year he bought more than $580 worth of books and did not receive much in return, especially since the store refused two of his books.

"It depends on what books are being used in Ann Arbor," said Christina Abbey, who works in the Michigan Book & Supply textbook department.

Michigan Book & Supply also buys back books that are being used in other universities for less than half of the retail price. They are distributed out of a company in Nebraska, she said.

She said a student receives more money for a book used at the University and that the prices go up once the store receives a list of needed books from faculty.

At Michigan Book & Supply, she said the store has a no-value shelf for books brought back that are not being used by anyone.

Students receive no money for those books, Abbey said.

Battaglino said the Michigan Union Bookstore also buys back books unusable on this campus for a lower price.

"Most of our books carry the deal stickers," Battaglino said. Deal stickers guarantee students they will receive half of the new retail price regardless if the store needs the book, he said.

INFOG: Scan of my Statistics 402 book

Ulrich's $39.50

Michigan Book and Supply $15.00*

Union $39.25

*Added that the price would rise next week

12-11-98