After my Junior year in college I didn't pay for a single college textbook. It's true. It's not a gimmick.
What changed for me my Junior year was that I started working at my university's library, and I learned some tricks of the trade.
We have a library?
Yes, your college or university most likely has a library, and they most likely have a wealth of resources you never knew you had at your fingertips. So, first, go check out your library if you have not already. At the beginning of the semester, take your list of books that you will need and see if your library owns any of them. You can probably use your library's website to check their catalog from home, but if you're lost, go chat with or call your librarians and library workers. They are there to help you with things like this.
If your library has them, great. Make sure you go far enough in advance that you have time to request the book before you need it if it is already checked out.
If your library doesn't own the book, don't despair! This is where my secret weapon comes into play: interlibrary loans.
Interlibrary Loans
Sometimes called ILL, interloan, or document delivery, this is a fairly self explanatory concept. Your library probably belongs to a network of libraries that share books, dvds, and other materials. That way, resources can be exchanged between libraries as patrons need them and the materials you have access to increases exponentially. Sound cool? It is. And the best part is, it is usually free.
Libraries use different systems and websites can be set up differently, so unfortunately a step by step explanation of how to request books from other libraries may not be helpful here. Worry not, if you go to your library and ask the person at the desk how to request an Interlibrary loan, they will know exactly what you are talking about. In fact, they will probably be impressed. They get a lot of "Dude, I've gone here for four years and I've never been in here before." Compared to that, you will be a Godsend. Now go and get yourself some free textbooks!
Note: Libraries vary on checkout lengths, but in most cases as long as no one has the item on hold you can renew the item. If you are unable to renew, overdue fines are usually cheaper than buying the textbook over the long term. That, or you can always make copies of what you will need and return it on time if you're a stickler for punctuality.
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