The new edition

By the time that you read this, you will have been to one of the book stores, gathered your text books and probably had a heart attack when you saw the bill, especially if you're a freshman.

Some are new and some are used. However, when the end of the semester comes, new and used copies have about the same return price, which is little compared to their original prices.

In light of how tight everyone's budget may be, and of how laptops are becoming a staple in the classroom for many students, why do we continue to purchase expensive text books?

An education is costly enough, and buying a book for close to $100 that may only be used a few times during the course is outrageous.

However, since I study English, I do keep a few of my books from the classes that pertain to my major. I just do not want to buy a book for a class that will be forgotten about after the final exam.

More universities, including this one, should adopt some sort of book rental or book exchange program.

For example, at the beginning of a semester, a student finds the books for her class, pays the rental fee and agrees to return the books by the time the semester ends or faces overage charges. If she wants to keep a book, then she can pay for full ownership.

For certain subjects, this concept works fairly well.

However, other subjects have new updates every year.

The publisher will update the text with the new material, making the return value of previous editions worthless, and the new text will remain unchanged for only a year or two. Publishers that update annually, or in some cases rehash the current edition with a different cover, new pictures and added or removed text material put a strain on the environment.

I don't have the exact figures, but is it really worth all the natural resources it takes to produce a book that is 90 percent the same as the previous edition?

This is where I see the use of modern technology as a part of the solution for deforestation. I would rather there be one solid, unchanged edition for a text book and a CD or digital download for all of the new material to be released.

I believe that education should be affordable in order to encourage people to take the opportunity.

However, I know that in capitalistic societies, money allows opportunities like attending college. College is necessary in order to train and eventually work and give back to a field of study after graduation.

While I am grateful to be in a fine university like ECU, I still think that there are ways in order for me to receive a full education without it coming back to haunt me once I have to start paying off my college loans.

A rental book program or a new mainstream format would serve to be very beneficial and cost efficient.

This writer can be contacted at opinion@theeastcarolinian.com.