| Be it books on physics; environment or ethnic | | | | who cannot afford new books. Used ethnic studies |
| studies, books have always had great value. | | | | textbooks marts are popular destinations for |
| However, times have changed. We are living an era | | | | students from all walks of life. They save money, |
| of "information overload". Radio, television, | | | | read more and do the trees a big favor. They can |
| newspapers, magazines, and the internet have | | | | also choose to sell or give away their used books |
| opened the information floodgates. We no longer find | | | | helping the recycling effort greatly. Not to mention |
| it necessary to buy as many books as our parents | | | | the tidy sum they pocket in the process. |
| did. On most subjects, the information is available | | | | Times have changed and so has the way we |
| online in a comprehensive and updated fashion, cross | | | | process information. We get constant updates on our |
| linked to other areas of study that we may need or | | | | mobiles, see internet kiosks everywhere and get |
| find interesting. There is merit in procuring ethnic | | | | most of our books online. While it's ok to buy books |
| studies textbooks online. However, online reading can | | | | when you love them, there is no point buying new |
| be very confusing not to mention intimidating. Books, | | | | copies. Libraries work on the same concept except |
| on the other hand, tent to be narrower in scope and | | | | that the book is not "owned" but "borrowed". It is |
| therefore are more manageable. | | | | consequently available for a smaller period which may |
| Let's take a real example in the subject of ethnic | | | | not be enough for the user. There are also not |
| studies. Students are prescribed a certain set of | | | | enough copies of the same book in a library since the |
| textbooks but have innumerable number of | | | | idea is based around doing reference work. |
| reference books to choose from. Given that buying | | | | In summary, used book marts are a great option for |
| books has limited value, why buy new books at all? | | | | students of ethnic studies as well as other subjects. |
| Brand new books come at a huge premium and don't | | | | Books can be viewed online and ordered at the click |
| offer incremental benefits. In the same budget that a | | | | of a button, all in the comfort of one's dorm. Buying |
| student buys x new books, he or she can buy x+y | | | | books cheaper allows you to read more books than |
| books allowing him or her to experience and learn | | | | you would if you chose to buy them at full price. |
| more. Depending on the state and year of the used | | | | Online marts also offer a bigger selection than |
| book, it can come at a 25-40% cost saving. | | | | bookstores as they don't need to commit physical |
| Used books are no longer just an option for people | | | | space to storing books. |