The Western Connecticut State University Bookstore is your source for all your classroom needs. You can visit the bookstore to purchase your books and supplies or visit the bookstore website http://www.wcsu.bncollege.com and purchase your items online. However, there are other options to consider when thinking about purchasing textbooks. The following information is provided to help you explore those other options.

Note: For a downloadable brochure containing this information, click here.

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New versus Used Textbooks

Used textbooks are often less expensive than new. Many students enjoy the savings from using used books. Be careful to note if the new book comes with any discs or workbooks. Many used textbooks to not include those items. Additionally, some students do not like the distraction of reading a books already marked up by someone else’s highlighting. You do not know what grade that person received. Some used books might have been used at another college and the highlighted materials might emphasize different material from your professor. You need to decide what works best for you.

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Textbook Edition

By using the ISBN number of the book (located near the barcode) you can compare prices between different retailers:

• Adebooks.com
• Addall.com
• Affordabook.com
• Alibris.com
• Allbookstores.com
• Amazon.com
• Bestbookbuys.com
• Bigwords.com
• Bn.com
• BookFinder.com
• CampusBooks4Less.com
• DirectTextBooks.com
• Half.com
• Textbookpricecomparison.com

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Besides the WCSU Bookstore, used textbooks might be available from these retailers:

• Bookbyte.com
• BuyUsedTextbooks.com
• Campusbooks.com
• CollegeSwapShop.com
• Ebay.com
• Halfvalue.com
• Textbooks.com
• TextbooksX.com
• Valorebooks.com
• Amazon.com

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EBOOKS

EBooks may be available from these sites as well as availble from the WCSU Bookstore:

• CampusBooks.com
• Coursesmart.com
• eCampus.com
• eFollett.com
• Cengagebrain.com
• Pearsonhighered.com/student
• Wiley.com

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These sites allow you to trade books with other users online.

• Bookins.com
• Campusbookswap.org
• Swaptree.com

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These sites allow you to rent your textbooks for a determined timeframe. However, keep in mind that you have to return the book before the return date to avoid late fees and must be returned in re-usable condition:

• Bookrenter.com
• Campusbookrentals.com
• Chegg.com
• Skoobit.com

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Some books are now able to be downloaded or viewed online for free:

• Books.google.com/books
• Flatworldknowledge.com
• Gutenberg.org
• Lpl.org (Internet Public Library)
• Oerconsortium.org
• Wikibooks.com

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This information is provided solely for your convenience and WCSU in no way endorses any of these options. WCSU makes no warranties, either express or implied, concerning the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or suitability of the information contained within the sites. Transactions made through any of these sources are the exclusive responsibility of the student.