It is no hidden secret that textbook prices continue to rise each semester, along with students' tempers.
Contrary to popular belief, there may not be as huge a profit for the University Bookstore as it may seem.
"The perceived value of textbooks is very low," said Gary Adams, general manager of the 49er Shops, Inc. Students have so many other costs to incur that paying any amount for a book is frustrating to them," Adams said.
But regardless, the Bookstore does not exist for profit, Adams said.
"We are a non-profit organization, " Adams said.
But what exactly does this mean ?
"We have no shareholders," Adams said.
In other words, according to Adams, the Bookstore receives no financial reimbursement from the state.
"What money we make goes toward paying employees and keeping the doors open," Adams said.
However, many angry students may find this hard to believe. Tempers flare most likely as semesters end and books are taken in for buy-back.
To this, Adams gave an explanation.
"The policy is pretty simple," he said.
"The Bookstore carries approximately 4,000 titles each semester," he explained. "Of these, only about 1,000 are likely to be the same as the previous semester."
Adams added that most of the returning titles are for lower division courses where changes in new editions are so minor that the Bookstore does not bother changing editions.
The question then is from where this problem is derived. Why are only one-fourth of the textbooks used (and therefore able to be sold back) each semester ?
The answer to that question lies at the upper-division level, Adams said.
"Upper division courses are generally only offered annually," he said.
"Therefore, such books will not be purchased back immediately as there is no need for them."
So the obvious question then for most students is "what can we do?"
"The best thing to do is to hang onto these books for one extra semester and try to sell them back when the course is being offered again," Adams recommended.
"It is also a good idea for students to ask instructors if they are planning to use the same book when the class comes around again; and spread the word," he said.
So who is right, Adams or angered students? Only understanding the facts and the way the system works can determine each individuals answer to that question.
According to Adams, new books are marked-up approximately 26 percent. Used books are bought from students for 50 percent of their original value and sold back to other students for 75 percent of their original price, adding another 25 percent profit to a book that has already earned an original 26 percent profit. It is safe to say then that this is where the bulk of student frustration lies.
But Adams said this is the normal policy for the CSU and UC systems.
"We are about in the middle of all CSU stores," he said.
While this may be true, it still leaves students leery. Examining this situation as it may look on the outside may help one understand why.
Imagine a new book that sells for $20. It would be bought back at the end of the semester (providing the book is going to be used that semester) for $10. The same book would then be sold back to a second owner for $15. This owner could then sell the book back (providing the book is going to be used that semester) for $7.50 and marked-up again to the third owner for $15; a 50 percent profit, this time, added to an original 26 percent profit and a secondary 25 percent mark-up.
And in theory, this process could go on and on. This is obviously what angers students most. However, this is not exactly how the process works.
While Adams said he sympathizes with students' frustrations, he said that the anger is misplaced.
"Used book buyers are independent from us," he said. "They sell us the used books that they buy from the students."
There is a profit in there for these companies as well, Adams added.
"The average life-span of an edition is three years," he said.
But three years of such repetition would seem to add up to a lot.
"These profitable cases only compensate for dead sellers," Adams said.
"Publishers have to stay in business by selling successful books to cover costs in making less successful ones come along," he said.
Of the 4,000 titles the Bookstore carries, maybe 20 percent are successful, he added. Books such as astronomy and law change more frequently than others and if the Bookstore gets stuck with these types of books then they can be forced to absorb a high loss.
"If we have used books on the shelves and new editions come out, all of our copies are worthless," he said. "We are lucky if wholesalers will give us 20 cents on the dollar."
Other costs the Bookstore absorbs are a two percent credit card charges for those who use them and freight charges to and back from wholesalers.
Jennifer Bowman is a reporter for the Daily Forty-Niner