The world of college textbooks can be an intimidating one. From renting, buying new, or downloading, there are a lot of options. Most of them are also ridiculously expensive. However, there are ways to shop smarter and not harder when looking for cheap college textbooks.
With the evolution of technology, you can use your resources and have your textbooks saved directly to your phone, computer, or tablet. Gone are the days of back strain from carrying five different textbooks in your backpack! You can now download them directly.
There are many benefits to downloading your textbooks. Downloading books is usually more cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and easier to obtain.
Using the internet to legally download textbooks is a great way to keep you and your wallet happy. Here are some good resources for finding cheap college textbooks online.
Utilizing the Library
A lot of universities and public libraries have gone digital with their books. With this, you can safely and legally download whatever books you are looking for. This is especially helpful if your course is more niche and requires a specific type of textbook.
The library is also useful because you know that the sources are academic and have gone through a vetting process. The sources have gone through reviews to guarantee that you are getting the most accurate information possible.
Try Academic Websites
Though peer-reviewed websites like JSTOR offer a variety of sources, sometimes you can score some free downloads.
Depending on your course, you can go to academic websites that allow you to download relevant course material for free. This is great because these sources are all peer-reviewed.
Not only are peer-reviewed sources good for research purposes, but they will also make your professor extremely glad you didn’t cite Wikipedia as a valid source.
Use Marketplace and Search Engine Websites
Websites like Amazon are great for finding textbooks in a pinch. Since Amazon is one of the most popular websites in the world, you can almost guarantee that the download will be legit.
However, sometimes you can pay a premium with larger retailers. If that’s the case, look to comparison tools or websites that offer coupons and lower prices. Websites that use search engines are great because all you need is the author or title and they can generate various results for a good price.
Take Advantage of Your Student Status
Being a student can be expensive. However, there are a lot of resources that allow free accommodations for students. Bookboon is a free database that has various professor-published textbooks that students can download at no cost.
Additionally, Open Textbook Libary is a student-only service that gives access to thousands of textbooks PDF. There is no charge or signup fee.
Use Databases
Various databases give you full access to textbooks on the cheap, or even free. Databases like Project Gutenberg, Charles Darwin’s Libray, and may others offer thousands of books for download.
These websites are great because these books have been carefully put through a vetting process. They are usually textbooks that have been in use for years.
Use Other University’s Websites
A lot of universities collaborate with others on databases and libraries. These services allow you to get a textbook from another university’s library for cheap or even free. This includes downloads as well.
A benefit of using a university website is that you know the download is safe and that the source is accurate.
Use Exclusively eTextbook Websites
Websites like Vitalsource are exclusively electronic-based. This means that all the textbooks you pay for are download based.
This is helpful because it cuts out the middle man of searching for the PDF version of a textbook. Additionally, these direct downloads are instant and you can immediately save them to your phone, computer, or tablet.
Additionally, these websites can offer offline access. So wherever you are studying, you can use your textbook without fear of a connection loss.
Try a Subscription Service
Some electronic textbook websites are heading to a subscription-bases service. This helps because with the student pricing, you can pay a small monthly fee for cheaper textbooks. The monthly payment is still way less than what you would pay the full price for various textbooks.
Websites like Perelgo and Scribd allow students to sign up for a membership and cut the cost of electronic textbooks. These textbook downloads are immediate and you can gain access to thousands more.
Additionally, subscription services offer features like notetaking and annotation. This allows you to directly edit on the textbook you downloaded, which is helpful if you are a more visual learner.
Shop the Textbook Sale
A lot of the time, various ebook websites will be offering sale pricing. This can include downloads to textbooks. Depending on when you are taking a specific course, shop the sale.
Most ebook sales can have textbook downloads for as low as $4.99. You can stock up on various books and pay way less than buying books traditionally.
Acquiring Cheap College Textbooks
The best way to acquire cheap college textbooks is to do research. The majority of students and professors agree that college textbooks are overpriced.
The key is to use your resources and look at places that offer cheap downloads, renting options, and buybacks. Additionally, downloads are a great option because they are compact, environmentally friendly, and way less expensive.
Using the resources mentioned are a great way to legally download textbooks. Gone are the days of torrenting and getting bad quality textbooks.
For more information on college tips and tricks, check out our blog.