A new trend for recycling textbooks is to trade them online. There are several programs that making a space where students can trade. These websites are like bulletin boards where various websites list their ability to trade and students can choose where to go. Students can list books on their campus and can find them from anywhere in the country.

Most sites have been created to help students save money on the cost of new textbooks. When you list your books other students who haven't taken your classes yet can find the books they need. Generally, you will need to give your campus site and name for your local site or you may find it somewhere in your community. All this is available when you list your needs online.

One of the reasons it makes sense to trade books is that publishers of new textbooks bring out a new edition about every three years. Usually professors will go with the newer edition but in reality, the publisher doesn't change much from one edition to another. If you purchase it new, you're going to pay a higher price.

There area many different ways to cut the cost by trading. You can ask around to other students as well or you can look for them at a variety of social sites. For instance, MySpace, Craigslist, and Facebook have people who want to get rid of their used textbooks. Ask around at these places. Bookswaps at Campusbookswap is another organization that allows students to trade their books online.

Another idea that is new and that will probably catch is to rent your textbook. You can find sites online that will actually rent books for a very nominal fee. As an example, Chegg allows you to rent the book for the entire semester and they have an easy way to get your books and send them back. Their site looks a little like the Netflix site for videos.

One of the areas where most students may not think to look is their college library. Often there will be a copy or two of a current textbook that will be on display for students who don't have access to the book within the first couple of weeks. This is great way to find them too.

As more students find ways to get used textbooks some of the publishers are having challenges because they make most of their money through new books sales. In some situations they are asking college bookstores not to sell used copies of their textbooks and some college bookstores are asking professors not to tell students to buy books online. However, with the rising cost of new textbooks something has to be done. Each student has a right to get their books wherever they can find the best bargains.