Kansas State University - Royal Purple Yearbook (Manhattan, KS)

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The Book Exchange wall in the K-State Student Union offers students a place to advertise books for sale. Dove Saltier, sophomore in mechanical engineering, said students preferred getting books from other students because it saved both people money. You don ' t lose money and other people don ' t have to spend too much, he said. The wall was open to anyone with purple cards for items for sole and blue cords for items wanted. Photo by Jeanel Drake After completing their finals, Dec, 19, students wait in line at the K-State Student Union Bookstore to sell bock textbooks for cash. Dan Walter, textbook manager at Varney ' s Book Store, said the store paid close to 50 percent on textbooks until the store ' s quota was filled, then the percentage decreased or textbooks were no longer accepted. He said students on average could spend between $400 and $500 on textbooks each semester. Photo by Nicole Donnert textbooks ; 27

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students search, find best textbook values by Lindsay Porter ways to bargain When students looked for affordable textbooks, they had several available avenues. Most students purchased textbooks through Varney ' s Book Store or the K- State Student Union Bookstore, but others found different venues for buying and selling textbooks. Dave Sattler, sophomore in mechanical engineering, said he purchased half of his books directly from students who previously completed the classes. I prefer getting books from students because it saves everyone money, he said. Usually you can buy books for 60 percent of Varney ' s prices and sell for 50 percent. Sattler also tried to sell textbooks through the Book Exchange wall in the K-State Student Union. Students advertised books for sale or books wanted on colored cards at the exchange wall. Sattler did not receive any responses for the calculus book he posted, but said he thought the wall was beneficial. Kristi Ogorzolka, sophomore in business administration, joined KSUBooks.com to find cheap textbooks. KSUBooks.com was a Web site created fall 2003 by Brett Beam, junior in industrial engineering; Branden Comfort, junior in business administration, and Ross Wilson, sophomore in computer engineering. It ' s something people do at other universities, Wilson said. It was something K- State didn ' t have. Most students are online anyway. If they are online, they might as well buy books. The site was set up as an electronic message board for students to post books for sale and others could post responses. Although access to the site was free, students registered with site administrators to ensure they were K- State students. As of Feb. 3, there were 646 members. Wilson said he thought there were more than 175 books sold through the site in its first year. Ogorzolka joined the site, Nov. 29, and posted two message inquiries about books for sale. I saw a flier and figured I ' d look at it, she said. I found a couple of books that I could use and bought one of them. Ogorzolka spent $15 on her book, and Wilson said most users would sell for half of the bookstores ' prices. They get an equal price selling and buying, he said. It is a win- win situation. 26Qstudent life

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i • m ' i January Fanning, senior in interior design, makes change for a customer after pouring him a drink . at Rusty ' s Lost Chance Restaurant and Saloon, Nov. 20. My first time bartending, I was nervous about messing stuff up, but now I ' m good, Fanning said. Photo by Nicole Donnert 28 o student life I