Houghton Mifflin Can SucK It
or, Publishers Deliberately Try Make Textbooks Expensive
from Hampshire Gazette [onerous registration required]

Last week, UMass students who are part of the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group, MassPIRG, held a press conference to draw attention to what they called a ''rip-off'' which was documented in a study done by similar public interest groups in California and Oregon.

According to that study, the average college student today spends $898 a year on course books compared to $642 during the 1996-1997 academic year. The study, ''Rip-off 101: How the Current Practices of the Publishing Industry Drive up the Cost of College Textbooks,'' was cited at the MassPIRG press conference last week.

''The study shows systematic and methodical practices by publishers that increase the price of books,'' said Marcin Wolynski, organizer of Books for Books, a used book store run by MassPIRG.

Publishers constantly issue new editions of textbooks. ''My experience is that the textbook change is insignificant,'' said Anthony Gugliemi, a UMass adjunct economics professor at the press conference.

Seriously. I had this experience in Stats last summer, the new edition of the text just added a forward that threw off the pagination. The good hearted teacher said we could use the old edition, but spent half the class trying to get everyone on the same page.

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AMHERST - The textbooks required for just one college course often can cost a student $100 a semester - and many students say that is too much.

The prices are ridiculous, said Greg Longo, a University of Massachusetts senior majoring in marketing.

Longo was buying two textbooks Monday at Jeffery Amherst College Bookshop, one of three independent downtown Amherst stores from which professors often order books. Longo said he'll buy used textbooks whenever possible. Last semester he spent $400 on books.

Mark Fitzpatrick, a UMass freshman, bought used texts for business and psychology at the Textbook Annex on campus last week, but had to buy a new book for music. ''My bill was $136 and I still have one book to buy,'' he said.

Melissa Richard, a pre-nursing student, said she spent $300, mostly on used books, which she deemed a ''big bargain.'' Her textbook budget last semester was $500.

A single science textbook can be $90 to $130, students said, and though professors in the humanities often assign several inexpensive paperbacks in place of one hardcover textbook, the total price can easily top $100.

The UMass students are among thousands of college students around the country this week spending large sums on the books necessary for their education after paying their bills for tuition, academic fees and room and board.

Last week, UMass students who are part of the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group, MassPIRG, held a press conference to draw attention to what they called a ''rip-off'' which was documented in a study done by similar public interest groups in California and Oregon.

According to that study, the average college student today spends $898 a year on course books compared to $642 during the 1996-1997 academic year. The study, ''Rip-off 101: How the Current Practices of the Publishing Industry Drive up the Cost of College Textbooks,'' was cited at the MassPIRG press conference last week.

''The study shows systematic and methodical practices by publishers that increase the price of books,'' said Marcin Wolynski, organizer of Books for Books, a used book store run by MassPIRG.

Publishers constantly issue new editions of textbooks. ''My experience is that the textbook change is insignificant,'' said Anthony Gugliemi, a UMass adjunct economics professor at the press conference.

Publishers also ''bundle'' new books with CD-Roms and workbooks seldom recommended by professors or used by the students, Wolynski said.

Congressman David Wu of Oregon and Sen. Charles Schumer of New York have introduced legislation in Washington to study the cost of textbooks.

While students may be able to find used versions of expensive science textbooks, pagination may be changed so they are apt to use the wrong exercise assigned for homework, Gugliemi said.

Used books can be a bargain to buy, but not to sell, students said. ''The book stores only give you about 20 percent of the original price,'' Longo said.

Nat Herold, co-owner of Amherst Books, said he buys back books at the end of the semester as an agent for Nebraska Books, a national used wholesaler. If he knows a professor is certain to assign that book for the next semester, he'll buy the book for his store, paying the student a higher price.

Herold said many professors try to keep the cost of textbooks as low as possible. Many order their books from downtown stores instead of the Textbook Annex, which is run by Follett Books, a national company.

''I put it out to bid to four stores,'' said Russell Janis, an economics lecturer at UMass.

Janis said he determines the publisher's list price and then tries to get the best deal for his students locally. One textbook for this semester lists at $91 but Herold sells it for $80, so Janis awarded his bid to Herold. Jeffery Amherst Bookshop was low bidder on his other textbook, Janis said.

Herold said he orders for 300 courses, while Jeffery Amherst Bookshop services 500 courses and Food for Thought has books for more than 125 classes.

Some professors compile packets of articles and book chapters and have them duplicated at places like Collective Copies in Amherst. ''We have to copyright permission,'' said Erin Rice, a co-owner of the store. She said this semester they are providing materials for 70 UMass courses and another 30 at Amherst College.

Putting books on reserve in the campus library is another cost-saving option, Gugliemi said.

Another option for students looking for used books is going online. Half.com and Amazon.com are popular Web sites for book bargains, students said.

The wave of the future may be for professors to publish their own books online, an idea which Wolynski applauds.

posted by prof_booty | 08:42 AM