OGDEN -- Weber State University students will have a different way to acquire textbooks starting in the spring semester. The university will offer a program letting students rent a book at a cost about 60 percent less than the purchase cost of a new textbook.
"It's a pilot program we're looking into," said Michael Richter, director of WSU campus stores. "We've identified approximately 170-180 titles that we are going to try and rent this semester."
Richter said textbook titles will be accessed on a video kiosk, similar to a Red Box video rental booth, at both Ogden and Davis campuses.
"If they want to rent a book, they go through the kiosk and they don't have to wait in line," he said.
Students return the books during the normal buy-back period at the end of a semester. Richter said the cost to buy and sell a textbook is less in the long run, but textbook rentals work for people who don't want to pay higher costs upfront and wait to get their money back when they sell back the book.
The selection of titles is based on which books have the longest lifespan and are used by the most students. Richter said the books are ones required for both lower and upper division courses.
The rentals will be tax-free, as are other textbooks purchased at the campus store.
WSU was interested in adopting a rental program to better serve students, Richter said.
"We're trying to meet the needs of the students," he said. "Rental is an option they would like to consider. Really, from our perspective, we want to make sure we give the students every opportunity they are looking for."
Alan Martin, CEO of local textbook rental company campusbookrentals.com, said WSU's new program will help make textbooks more affordable for students, which is the goal of his company.
"This is a rapidly changing industry," he said. "Every innovative attempt to make textbooks more affordable to students validates and solidifies our strong position as the No. 1 textbook rental company in the country." Martin, an alumni of WSU, started his textbook rental business two years ago. The company works out of a warehouse in the Ogden Commercial Industrial Park.
Richter said his business has already rented several books to students for the next semester. He said the response from students so far has been positive.
"As a matter of fact, everybody that's done it has been excited."
CORRECTION: Cheggo.com claims it is the 'No. 1' textbook rental company in the coutnry. In a story Wednesday, Alan Martin, CEO of campusbookrentals.com said his company was the 'No. 1 textbook rental company in the country.'
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