Renting Textbooks Saves UW-Waukesha Students Nearly $37,000

This semester UW-Waukesha students were given the opportunity to rent textbooks at the campus bookstore instead of buying them.   

            “The savings add up quickly for students,” said bookstore manager, Sean Mulloy. “Renting a textbook can save students 50% compared to purchasing a book.”

1700 textbooks were rented this semester, saving students an average of $22 per book. According to Mulloy, renting textbooks can save students a combined total of $37,000 per year. He explained, “To get the amount students saved by renting textbooks, I took the total revenue from renting textbooks and multiplied it by the average percentage saved from renting the textbook vs. buying it.”

            UW-Waukesha is not the first college campus that has chosen to start renting books. Mulloy said, “I think that since the market was shifting towards renting textbooks and students showed that they liked the idea of it, we decided to rent as well.”

            For added piece of mind, the bookstore also offers a price matching service. Mulloy said, “If a student goes onto any of the sites that are listed in our bookstore and finds a price lower than ours, we match it automatically, and by renting the books, you’re guaranteed money back, after you’re finished with the semester.”

For more information, stop by the campus bookstore or E-mail: wakbookstore@uwc.edu.“Students have so many options for renting their textbooks online, it’s great to know that the convenient on-campus bookstore offers students real savings,” said Mulloy.