Photo by Patrick Vogwill
Moraine Valley’s extensive book store consists of over 3000 titles, how do they get so many of them? Well from you of course!
Students of Moraine Valley Community College who want some quick cash can re-sell any text book they want to, at any point during the year without waiting for the semi ritualistic end of semester book buy-back season.
Kashif Shaf, the Director of Auxiliary Services (who also oversees the bookstore) said that the main factor affecting the resale value of books is whether or not the books will be used in the following semester (including books used for both four and eight weeks classes).
Shah also said that for students taking classes offered only once a year and looking to sell back their books, the best strategy is to hold on to them until shortly before the commencement of the semester that the class is offered (in a year’s time).
This of course is dependent on whether or not the textbooks are the current editions the class requires. “Textbook publishers are in the habit of revising their textbooks every two to three years,” said Shaf. So, whatever you do, you still may have to face a gamble.
According to Shaf, the year-end books buy-back event is usually outsourced. Previous contractors include the Missouri Book Company, the South Eastern Book Company, and Follett.
Shaf said that students who elect to sell their books before the end of the semester will have to settle for less money-averagely between twenty five to thirty five percent of the actual cost of the text books-as opposed to the fifty percent or more students who wait till the end of the semester to sell their books can get.
