Textbook rental terror

We live in a world where everything has to be shiny and new. We don't stare in awe at the beater car plunking its way down the street, but we will stare and point out to our friend that gleaming Audi that just streamlined passed our car. The same can be said about anything in this world. How about a book with a couple chew marks on the corner? Would you still take it off the shelf at textbook rental? Personally, if it is still readable, it would not matter much to me. But it matters to the textbook rental policy. If you are not able to return your book the way you returned it, it is no longer of use to them.

See, my issue began this morning when my cat was left alone for 20 minutes with my textbook, which apparently insulted him in some manner. The insult resulted in the corner of the back cover being chewed away. Normally I do keep my books on a shelf, safe and away from the harm of a lurking 5 month old kitten; however, I was running a little late this morning.

I do take responsibility for the destruction of the back cover of the book, but I was appalled at the response I got from textbook rental. They won't even take the book back. I will be charged $88 for the book and another $15 in fees. The book is still perfectly capable of being read, it just feels like the back cover is in braille now when you hold the book in your hands. I asked if it was possible for me to buy a new book and just do an exchange, but "that is not in the policy" and they won't allow it. Upon hearing this I decided that I wanted to send a letter to The Racquet to see if they would help me get the word out to the student body. If you are reading this, I accomplished my goal.

An exchange would save me around $50 (I already looked it up on Amazon; it is $50 brand new, $35 if I buy the "used-like new" book). An exchange would also get textbook rental a brand new book the day that I return my books. I don't see how this could possibly be a negative option and I think I have a valid point.

I wish to bring the student body together to change the "no-exchange policy." Accidents happen, and their mark up on books is ridiculous. College students don't have money as is, and for students who are on the verge of graduating, who wants to deal with fees right at the end of their UW-L career? I am not entirely sure where to go with it from here, but I wanted to get my voice heard.

All in all, I will pay my $88, plus the $5 fine, plus the $10 processing fee if need be. I would rather it not take up space it my head. But it really did get me thinking about how this University is being run. I have taken numerous courses which have touched on sustainability in the last two semesters. I have always thought of myself as a person who is trying to lessen my carbon footprint and to help the environment.

So I ask, what is the difference of a couple of cat nibbles on the back cover of a book versus the process of making a whole new book? It will just be sitting on my shelf to never be read again. It would do much more good being possibly the last book on the shelf because everyone wanted the non-creased, brand new looking books. But the point is, it will be a book on the shelf for the person who comes in to get their books a week after class starts. It may or may not get used by that individual, but its odds are 100% better than if it were sitting at my home. Mending the back cover, and paying a $15 or so fine seems a lot more practical to me than purchasing a whole new book. I've always said that I am too practical, but somebody has to be.