SF Bookstore to Start Renting Textbooks in Fall

June 3, 2010

Beginning in fall 2010, Santa Fe Bookstore will start offering a new, multi-channel textbook rental program designed to deliver maximum savings and convenience.

The rental program will allow students to rent their textbooks for less than 50 percent of the cost of purchasing a new printed textbook. Students will be able to rent their books either in the store or from the store's website: whywaitforbooks.com (to go directly to Santa Fe's page, click here.)

This decision to offer a textbook rental program was a joint decision made by Santa Fe College and Barnes & Noble College Booksellers.

“As educators, we all have a role in lowering education costs,” said Ginger Gibson, Vice President for Administrative Affairs at Santa Fe College. “Textbook rental is a fast-growing option at colleges across the country and we're happy to have the program offered here. Santa Fe College is encouraged that the new textbook rental program will provide an opportunity to help students save money and keep higher education accessible and affordable.”

Program Features

• Students can pay the rental fees using any form of tender currently accepted by the bookstore, including student financial aid.
• Students can highlight or mark the rented books just as they would if they purchased a book and planned to sell it back to the bookstore.
• Students can convert their rental to a purchase during the first two weeks of class.
• The rental period is for the duration of the term/semester. Books are due back at the bookstore no later than 10 days after the last day of finals. Students can return the books in person or mail them to the bookstore via United Parcel Service or FedEx.

Courtesy emails will go out as the end of the term/semester approaches reminding students to return their books. Books not returned (or returned in unusable condition) will be subject to replacement and processing fees.

Read more about the new program in this