The Used Book Market, which began Jan. 4 and runs until Feb. 12, allows students to buy and sell books on campus through consignment. 

By choosing to use the Used Book Market, rather than selling through the campus bookstore or a textbook retailer, students have more control over the sale of their books.

Students who bring their used books to an HSF office, can set their own book prices. If the book is sold, HSF keeps 15 per cent of the sale price and the remaining 85 per cent goes to the seller. 

“We’re not in it to make a profit, we’re providing a service to the students,” HSF Services Director, Sieu Moi Ly, said.

When a book is sold, the HSF writes a cheque to the seller. Cheques can be picked up between Mar. 1 and Mar. 12. If the book is not sold, it is returned to the student.

To boost the chance of selling your book, Ly suggests students set fair prices on their books. 

“If students are looking for a deal, they have to put a deal out there as well,” Ly said.  

Choosing used books over new helps to keep books in circulation, reduces the need to print more books and helps students save money.

The campus bookstore is another great option for students looking to buy or sell used textbooks; it will buy back books at half the price a student paid for it. 

According to campus bookstore manager, Debby Martin, a student who buys used and sells their books back, “gets the most bang for their buck” and can save almost two-thirds off the cost of texts. 

For example, a $100 book, sold used, will cost a student $75. If the student sells the book back at the end of the semester, they will get $37.50 for their book – a total savings of $62.50 when compared to buying new and keeping the book.

Buying used is also a great way to reduce the need for books and reuse books already in print.

“It’s definitely a key to sustainability,” says Martin. “The faculty is aware of that. Costing and sustainability are in everyone’s mind right now.”

To keep any used book market thriving, students need to strike a balance between buying and selling. 

“If there’s no books on our shelves, students don’t have an interest in looking,” said Ly. 

While used book sales tend to keep textbooks in circulation longer, newer editions will oftentimes render older books obsolete and make them difficult to sell.

If this happens, environmentally-conscious students can opt to donate their books to a local library or school, or to remove the binding and recycle the pages.

To sell a textbook through HSF, bring your book to the HSF Office at KX202 (North campus) or H106 (Lakeshore). To find out which books are up for sale, stop by your HSF office or browse online at www.hsfusedbooks.com.