More options lead to better book deals

When freshman Rachelle Fell arrived at Pitt a few weeks ago, her $300 bill for textbooks… When freshman Rachelle Fell arrived at Pitt a few weeks ago, her $300 bill for textbooks taught her a lesson that many students know all too well: Books are expensive.

In the wake of Pitt’s recent 14-percent tuition hike, paying hundreds of dollars for books can be a crippling blow to already depleted wallets. There are, however, several options students can explore to get the best deal.

“I went the book center in the Quad,” Fell said, “but I got mine late so there weren’t that many used books left.”

The Pitt Book Center, a “one stop shop” of sorts, is the most expensive place to buy books in Oakland. Shakespeare’s “Othello,” for example, is $13.95 for a new copy and $10.50 for a used one. On the higher end of the price spectrum is “Calculus: Early Vectors” which is $112.20 new and $84.15 used. The Book Center is reliable and will have just about any book you need.

An alternative to the Book Center is the College Store, located on Meyran Avenue. While not as expensive as the Book Center, the College Store has a large selection of books. The price of the books is what makes the difference. There, “Othello” costs $5.95 for a new copy; a used one runs for $4.45. There is even a difference in “Calculus: Early Vectors,” it is $110 new and $82.50 used.

Down the street from the Book Center is the Campus Bookstore and Convenience Store. Availability can be limited, but the prices are lower than the Book Center’s. Books for the Critical Reading class range from $10.65 to $12 for new books, $7.65 to $8.65 for used ones. One helpful feature of the Campus Bookstore is that students do not have to search for books themselves; they can give schedules to an employee and he or she will find it.

Jay’s Bookstall, right next to the Campus Bookstore, is another option. The locally owned store has been in business since 1955. The Bookstall is a good choice for “lighter” books such as novels and plays, but it doesn’t carry large textbooks. A new copy of “Othello” costs $3.99, the cheapest of all the bookstores.

The Internet offers students several options for lower-priced books. Bestbookbuys.com is an especially useful Web site because it allows you to search for the exact book you need. The site lists a series of Web sites where you can purchase the book. The list of sites is arranged by the overall costs of the books, shipping and handling included.