Colby Bookstore Textbook Buyback
Frequently Asked Questions

1) Do I need my receipt to sell back my books?

No. While a receipt is necessary to return books during the add/drop period at the beginning of the semester, you do not need your receipt to sell books at buyback.

2) I spilled coffee on my book while studying at breakfast, can I still sell it back?

Neither the bookstore, nor the national used book recyclers will purchase books which have gotten wet. Aside from their undesirable appearance and the possibility of pages being stuck together, past experience has shown that these books will also sometimes become moldy.

3) What does resalable condition mean?

We understand that you have used your books for your class; you may have written in them, or used a hi-liter. These acts do not normally influence a books resale value. To be in resalable condition a book can not have gotten wet, it can not have any loose, torn, or missing pages. Both covers and the binding must be intact.

4)What are the exceptions to the above?

Writing in your book matters if the book is a workbook where you have filled in the answers, and sometimes with foreign language texts where you have done translations. These are the only cases where writing in a book has an impact. These books must have fewer than five pages of writing to qualify for sale at buyback. If in doubt please bring your book to buyback. We will be able to tell you if your text is one for which this restriction applies.

5)Can I sell back books that I have held on to from other semesters?

Yes. Bring them to buyback, and we will check them. Sometimes the best prices for a book can be had by holding on to the book for a semester. For instance if a course is taught only every fall, and you bring your book in at the end of the fall semester, your book will probably be sent out for national used book recycling. If you bring that same book back at the end of the spring semester, the bookstore may have an order for that title for fall, and could be buying the book at half price. However, be sure and read below about books with no value...

6)Why do some books have no value to either the bookstore or the national used book recyclers?

One of the most common reasons for a book to have no value is for the book to be an old edition. Once the scheduled publication of a new edition is announced the resale value of the current edition begins to drop. When the new edition is available, the old edition will no longer have any resale value. On average, new editions of texts are issued every three years.

7)How about foreign language dictionaries or study aids?

Yes. Our faculty generally do not require the purchase of specific foreign language dictionaries or study aids, but faculty at some other colleges do. Bring them to buyback, and we will check to see if yours have national value.

8)How does the bookstore determine which books to buy?

We don't. Which books are bought is determined either by the faculty definately assigning a book for next semester (giving the bookstore a signed "adoption"), in which case the bookstore will buy the book, or by the national demand for your book, in which case we will act as an agent for national used book companies.

9)Why are some books worth so much more than others?

You will receive the best price for a book if the book has been definately assigned by the faculty for the upcoming semester. In this case the bookstore will purchase the book at 50% of the new price of the book.

10)Why do the national used textbook companies only pay 10 to 33% of the new price of a book?

The price paid for a book is based on its value to the used book company. Some of the factors that enter into their price determination are the quantity they already have on hand in their warehouses, the anticipated national demand for that title in the near future, the chance that the book will come out in a new edition, etc...

11)What about those other buybacks that take place in the Cotter Union?

We realize you may need cash at the end of Jan Plan, or before spring break, so as a service to students the bookstore has asked the national used book recyclers to send a representative to the College at these times. These companies can only offer you the national price for your books. These non-exam time buybacks take place in the Cotter Union as a courtesy to students on the far side of campus. These same prices can be had almost any day by bringing your used books to the textbook office of the bookstore. We act as an agent for a national wholesale used book distributor, and can buy used books for them any day. Visit the Colby Bookstore Textbook department if you wish to sell books at times other than scheduled buyback periods.

If we haven't answered your questions fully, please send e-mail to Judy Balbo (jpbalbo @colby.edu), or give us a call (207)872-3337. We'll be happy to help.