Textbook
Funding Options

Fall 2007

Affording Textbooks

Start studying right away! A delay of even a week can seriously hamper your success in your classes, so acquiring your textbooks can be crucial. Here are some suggestions if finances are hampering your access to textbooks:

Personal Finance

Yes, you can use credit cards to buy texts—the OC Bookstore takes Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover. Or, if payday or your student loan is coming soon, you might consider whether family or friends can give you a short term loan.

If you can’t pay for books right away, but you can within a week or two, talk to your teacher. In SOME cases, the teacher might have an extra copy of the text that could be put on reserve in the library. In other cases, the required reading for the first week or so could be copied for you. It’s not a long term solution, but it could work for a short time.

Textbook Loan Library

In fall, winter, and spring quarters, this collection is available ONLY to Running Start students. Textbooks for many classes are available for quarter-long loans. If you think you may qualify, call 360-475-7646, or visit the College Service Center, room 322.

The OC Libraries

No, the library PROBABLY doesn’t have your textbooks. Why? The libraries specialize in supplementary materials. Sometimes, though, we may have a title that is used by a class as either a required or supplemental text. Usually these books are put on reserve (reserve books are used inside the library or have shorter check out times). This allows everyone in the class to have a chance to use the book in question. If we don’t have the book you need, talk to your faculty; the library will put their personal copy on reserve for your class or use electronic reserve for portions of books or periodical articles. Ask a librarian for help; Reference desk: 360-475-7252.

Worker Retraining or WorkFirst

Are you here to change jobs after being unemployed? Maybe you’re a displaced homemaker or you’re looking to qualify for a better job? Are you taking 90’s level classes, or are you interested in a professional technical program such as Accounting, Automotive, Business Management, Electronics, Nursing Assistant, Welding, Cosmetology, Integrated Multimedia, Computers, or Early Childhood Education? (Many other areas qualify, so don’t stop now if your area of interest isn’t listed here!)

If any of those circumstances sound like you, there may be another way to pay for textbooks and a whole lot more. Worker Retraining and WorkFirst programs may be able to help with tuition, books, and other costs, sometimes even before you qualify for financial aid.

To find out if you qualify, call 360-475-7230 today.

Outside agencies

If your education is sponsored by DSHS, Vocational Rehabilitation, KCR, Employment Security, or another outside agency, contact them to find out if they could also sponsor the cost of your books for the quarter.

Do you have textbooks you no longer need?

Yes, your used textbooks are worth money! The OC Bookstore will buy them back for as much as 50% of the new book retail price. Selling your books at the end of the quarter is a way to reduce the impact of textbook costs; $125,000 - $150,000 is returned to OC students at the end of each quarter.

Also, if you have a textbook that is still being used in OC classes, you may wish to consider donating that book.

The Textbook Loan Library for Running Start students or the OC Libraries would be happy to accept your donations of current textbooks in good used condition. We will make them available to students who cannot afford them otherwise. See the discussions in this pamphlet for how your donations will be used. Thanks for considering helping your fellow students!

Haselwood Library: 360-475-7252 (OC Bremerton); Textbook Loan Library: 360-475-7646 (CSC 322)