Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Bookstore Blues

The Georgetown bookstore may be conveniently located in the Leavey Center, but that is the extent of its merits. Of the long lines common all over campus during move-out time, one of the longest is at the bookstore, which is filled from open to close with students selling back their books.

Instead of getting top dollar, however, students are lucky to receive more than a few pennies on the dollar, especially for paperbacks.

The bookstore may be free to quote its own resale prices because it assumes all the risk for reselling the book, but that’s not enough of a justification for the ridiculously low refunds offered during buyback.

New textbooks are already priced exorbitantly, and the campus bookstore has none of the discounts available at online bookstores or other venues. Used books are not always offered, and they usually do not carry a reasonable discount. When was the last time you saw a used car on sale for 75 percent of the sticker price?

Even if you argue that the bookstore isn’t a complete rip-off, there are still myriad of better options for students wishing to unload their books. It’s very easy to sell them on a Web site like Amazon.com or eBay, and if you’d like to stay on campus, the Corp offers an excellent book co-op service.

Books can be found significantly cheaper on the Internet or from the Corp; students are not always able to take advantage of these options, however, as when a professor gives a list of six to 10 random books for an English class: It can be difficult to track them all down on the Internet.

Professors should express the courtesy of posting or e-mailing lists of required books to students a couple of weeks before the semester begins. Students will then be able to order the books they need at a reasonable price and have enough time to wait for their timely delivery to campus.

The cost of books at the bookstore has been far too high for too long, and students should take their business elsewhere. If Hoyas are getting fleeced at the Leavey Center, it had better involve a Georgetown logo and a zipper.

Donate to The Hoya

Your donation will support the student journalists of Georgetown University. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.

More to Discover
Donate to The Hoya