Students looking to alleviate part of the financial burden of college have the option of renting textbooks starting this semester.

English 1113 (Comp I), English 1213 (Comp II), and Bio 1023 (Introduction to Nutrition) are the first three textbooks available this semester at the OCCC bookstore, said Brenda Reinke, Bookstore director.

The textbooks rent for 50 percent of the retail cost of a new textbook, Reinke said.

For instance, the English Comp I textbook which sells for $77, rents for $39, she said. The English Comp II textbook rents for $43 and Bio 1023 rents for $52.

Reinke said the textbook rental trial program was brought about by faculty and administration concerns on the cost of textbooks for students.

“We thought we’d help people save some money,” she said.

Reinke said textbook rental is common in the college bookstore industry.

“The spring semester is the first semester we have done it, which is why we’ve selected three textbooks to see how much interest there is from the students,” she said.

Reinke said English Comp I and II were chosen because of the number of students required to take those classes.

The biology book was chosen because OCCC has 500 to 600 students enrolled in nutrition each semester.

She said textbooks put into a rental program are usually the same textbooks the bookstore buys back at the end of the semester.

“For the last 20 years we’ve had a rental program,” Reinke said.

“It’s called book buy back.”

And OCCC is not the only bookstore renting textbooks to students.

Brice Varbel, Textbook Brokers manager, said his store rents about 15 percent of their textbooks.

A branch is located on the north side of OCCC at the northwest corner of SW 74th and May Avenue.

While Varbel thinks it is good to rent textbooks if you do not have the income to buy them outright, he said you get more money in the long run if you purchase the books rather than rent.

Reinke agrees.

“Because you’re paying half of the new cost price, if you buy a used book and sell it back at the end of the semester you won’t spend as much money,” Reinke said.

One student has her own opinion about the program.

Melessa Olivio, graphic design major, said she found cheaper textbooks online.

“I found my book $15 cheaper on Cheg.com,” Olivio said.

“I would rent a book from school only if it was cheaper than online.”