Book exchange benefits students

By Greg Cox
For the Daily

As University students rush to campus book stores, a group of student volunteers is offering another option to satisfy class reading lists - the Student Book Exchange.

The exchange, which operates today and tomorrow in the Pendelton Room of the Michigan Union, attempts to give students more money for returning last semester's books and cheaper prices for new books.

"It's basically for students who want to save when buying and make more when selling," said SBE volunteer Yeh-Won Hwang.

Exchange organizer and Engineering senior Matt Thompson explained that the event is designed for students, by students.

"Students come in and set their own prices for books," Thompson said. "If the book sells, the student gets 85 percent of the price they set. Otherwise they get the book back."

EMILY NATHAN/Daily LSA junior Emmeline O'Leary shelves books at the Student Book Exchange in the Michigan Union's Pendleton Room. The book exchange will continue today and tomorrow.

Hwang said the other 15 percent of the money goes to operating expenses for the exchange.

"Room fees, equipment fees and accounting fees make up most of the costs," said Hwang, an Engineering senior.

Students have been holding the event for more than eight years, and it usually raises around $20,000 per drive, Thompson said.

"Last semester we had about 600 students participate and raised around $22,000," he said.

Many students who use the exchange find that it can net them better results than selling their books back to bookstores.

Engineering junior Karyl Shand said she finds the prices more to her liking.

"It's more competitive than selling it back downstairs or any other bookstore," said Shand, who put her books for sale this year.

Shand even said she has a system for setting her sell-back prices.

"I set it lower than what the bookstores would charge, but something reasonable," Shand said.

Thompson said usually about half of the available books end up sold and some books sell better than others.

"Introductory level courses like organic chemistry, psychology and economics usually sell better than upper level courses," Thompson said.

Thompson said he hopes students will try to take advantage of the services offered by SBE.

"Students should come in and check it out," Thompson said. "Usually, they can get more at the Student Book Exchange."

The event is run entirely by student volunteers. Students interested in helping in the production of the exchange can get more information at the Pendleton Room.

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