buying books

First years often wonder if they need to buy their books ahead of time. The truth is, you really don't need to buy them before classes, you don't need to buy them on the first day of class, in fact, you really don't need to buy them until your first assignment is due. Even then, most, if not all books, are available in the library and on reserve.

Buying Used

My first piece of advice is to try and buy your books used if you can. This will take a little extra energy, but you will save a substantial amount of money. Some books change each year, so make sure you double check that the edition you need is the same one that chick on the classifieds is selling. You could wander through the JDUC, MacCorrey etc. to find classified ads, but it's much faster to head straight to the Greenroom. Additionally, the Campus Bookstore itself sells used books, and on their website is a good list of people selling.

Courseware

Lots of your required texts will be something called courseware. This is essentially photocopied readings that the profs sell and that can't be reused or re-sold, only recycled. So, you can't buy these used, but you can get a group together, buy one copy and photocopy it yourselves for about 1/10th of the cost. Also be aware that courseware is much, much cheapter at the P&CC. They mark it up dramatically at the Greenroom since they have to pay all kinds of copyright fees.

Buying New

If you are determined to buy your books new, or you just can't find them used, first give GhettoBooks a go. They sell all Queen's texts at discount prices and they are shipped straight to your door.

The Campus Bookstore also isn't half bad, and they operate it pretty much at cost to students, so you the best deals possible.

All in all, just don't fret. I know plenty of people who made it through university not even reading the books they bought - ever, so if you buy yours a few weeks into the semester you'll be just fine. Trust me.

Another note: visit the campus bookstore website to take a look at the books required and the suggested books for each course. You don't need the suggested ones unless they interest you, and I simply suggest you borrow those from the library or share a copy with a few friends and photocopy.

Why buy books at all?

Most students in first year are too nervous to get into the term without buying their books, and if you can afford to buy each and every required and recommended text, then I do suggest you do so. However, Queen's makes it easy for you to pick up any and all required and recommended textbooks on reserve at Stauffer and other libraries. You can only sign the books out in three hour chunks of time, however you can take the books home and photocopy them at all. Plus, it's free ... just don't think about returning your reserve reading late. The fees are killer.

Selling Them Back

The beauty of the end of the year is that you can sell all of your textbooks back. While the real rush doesn't start until September, you can consign your books at the Greenroom or sell them straight away to the Campus Bookstore. Additionally, you can sell them online on the Campus Bookstore site, or place your own ads around the ghetto. All in all, you'll be able to recoup a bit of that painfully yet well spent book cash!