The UNG Dahlonega bookstore, located in the Chestatee Building, was recently bought by Barnes & Noble and is the on-campus site for students to purchase their textbooks each semester. However, between third-party sellers who often offer significantly lower prices for textbooks and the ability to buy ebooks, students say buying textbooks in bookstores is becoming less frequent.  

Renting or buying used books is just one of the ways students cut costs for college. While the UNG bookstore does offer used textbooks for students who want a cheaper option, oftentimes it is still more than what they would pay with a different seller.  

Two of the most common alternatives to the UNG bookstore are Amazon and Thriftbooks. Claire Mills, sophomore communications major, says, “Amazon offers renting options as well as buying books used—which are both cheaper options.”  

There are other reasons students choose to purchase their textbooks from different sellers. Austin Cauffman, a junior political science major, doesn’t buy his textbooks from the bookstore because, “it is easier via Amazon for me and I have Amazon Prime so I don’t have to worry about having them on time.”

Convenience and efficiency are important factors when buying books, according to Maggie Mauck, a junior political science major. She says, “I rent my books through Amazon online or Chegg. I never buy textbooks and I only rent digital copies so I don’t have to ship them back and it’s easier to search the textbook and look things up rather than a physical copy.”