Students can now rent required texts from the library to avoid hefty bookstore prices.

The University Library offers a pilot program, Core Textbooks on Reserve, allowing students to utilize textbooks in the library for a limited period of time.

Students with valid Flashcards can checkout Kent Core textbooks at the main library’s circulation desk. Books can be used for up to two hours as long as students stay in the library.

Mary Lovin, University Libraries communication coordinator, said many students use library textbooks for economic reasons.

“Many students don’t buy textbooks because they can’t afford them,” Lovin said. “That’s why we have purchased textbooks for students to utilize here in the library.”

According to the University Libraries’ website, the program is designed to “help students gain access to their core textbooks for major courses in a cost efficient manner.” Lovin said the library wants to “give back,” to the students through the program.

“Instead of buying books, students can just borrow them here for a few hours,” Lovin said. “Hopefully students will take advantage of it.”

Sophomore English major KaShala Smith said she started using the program after hearing about it during a library visit.

“As an English major, I have a lot of required books,” she said. “I utilize the library frequently, and this program allows me to keep money in my pocket.”

Smith said that professors often have her read just a few passages from books that cost about $90.

“I don’t have the funds to waste on books I’m only using once or twice,” she said. “Using the textbooks on reserve is a better alternative for me.

Junior psychology major Shali Caver said that buying her books is easier for her than utilizing the library.

“The Textbooks on Reserve program is a great program; it’s just not for me,” Caver said. “I need to have my own books because I have a busy schedule.”

Caver said that she prefers to buy books because she never knows if the books she needs are available when she needs them to be. She said the library only has a few copies of each book, and the two-hour time limit is an inconvenience.

“I don’t have time to wait for someone else to finish using the book I need,” Caver said. “I don’t like being rushed either.”

While some students make the choice to either utilize the program or not, others don’t even know about it. Senior pre-nursing major Maryssa Garrett said she had no idea the library had textbooks on reserve.

“I wish I would have known something like this was accessible to students,” she said. “I could have saved a lot of money.”

Wide-spread knowledge of this program could mean a possible decrease in text book store revenue. However, Karlee Fisher, a textbook associate at Campus Book and Supply, said she doesn’t feel business is affected by the program.

“Not many people know you can rent books at the library,” Fisher said. “The library doesn’t have many copies of the textbooks, so it doesn’t put our business at a disadvantage.”

Garrett said that the library should promote the program more so students will know what the library has to offer them.

“They can tell us about it when we sign up for tutoring and put up posters throughout the library,” Garret said. “I think students would take advantage of it if they knew it existed.”

Contact Dominique at [email protected].