By Alena Visnovsky
Most college students are aware of how expensive textbooks are. However, if you have textbooks that have a stellar dust collection, the Grand Rapids Community College bookstore does buy back used textbooks. They will pay students 25-50% of the book’s original price depending on the condition.
“When a student purchases or rents a textbook, they are free to write in it as much as they like, as long as the next user can still read it,” said GRCC bookstore manager Cindy Most.
Most also said that she didn’t want students to be deterred from selling back their books just because they wrote or highlighted in it. The bookstore is extremely likely to buy back a textbook if an instructor is using it for a class next semester. Students will also get the highest prices for these books. Students also need to have a student ID to sell books to the bookstore.
The GRCC bookstore will not buy back textbooks that have torn or missing pages. Pages that are sticking together or pages with water damage or stains will be rejected. They really can’t afford a biohazard. Also, if a corner is chewed off because your pet ferret was bored, the bookstore won’t buy your textbook.
If the front or back cover of your book is missing because you attempted a textbook cover collage for ArtPrize, the bookstore won’t buy that textbook back either.
The bookstore won’t buy back loose leaf textbooks or hole punched pages due to the potential of inconsistent and/or missing pages. Also, don’t try to sell back access codes since those are single use.
If you still aren’t sure if your textbook can be sold back to the bookstore, feel free give them a call at (616) 234-3880 as the employees are more than willing to assist students with questions or concerns.
Moving on to textbook rental returns.
If you rented textbooks for the fall 2021 semester, they are due Friday, Dec. 17. Put it on your calendar.
To return rented textbooks, go to the bookstore to check in your books using your phone number. You can also ship your rented textbooks to the bookstore using your choice of carrier. However, you will have to pay shipping.
If you rented textbooks, you’ll receive reminder emails which include return instructions. If you miss the deadline to return your rented books, you must return your books ASAP.
“I don’t have control over those charges that may happen if the books are turned in late,” Most said.
It’s called a non-return fee and it’s scary, as it costs the same price to replace the book – not the typical $3 library book fee. The non-return fee amount is on your original receipt that you got when you first rented the textbook.
Another option for late rented textbooks is converting to purchase. Students can do this online or in-person. For example, a textbook costs $100 to buy and $50 to rent, and let’s say a student rents it for the semester. If they forget to return it on Dec. 17, they can convert it to a purchase by paying the difference between the purchase cost and the rent cost, which in this example, is $50. So they paid $50 at the beginning, and then $50 later. This will end up being cheaper than paying the non-return fee.
This GRCC Today press release states that financial aid will be available for bookstore purchases beginning Monday, Jan. 3, 2022.
“The decisions about what can be bought with financial aid is controlled by the financial aid office,” Most said. “The intention of financial aid is that students get what they need to succeed in their classes.”
Items such as textbooks, laptops and other school-related supplies can be bought with financial aid. Financial aid will typically not allow students to buy clothing, gift items or food from the bookstore.
The GRCC bookstore end of fall 2021 semester hours are as follows:
- Dec. 13-17 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Dec. 20-22 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Closed Dec. 23 through Jan. 2
The bookstore is located on the first floor of the Student Life Center. Remember, turn in your rentals on time.
