Last Updated on September 23, 2021 by BookScouter
If you want to sell your textbooks at the end of the semester, it’s important to take care of books from your first day of ownership. If this is your first semester of college and you aren’t really sure how to take good care of your textbooks, don’t worry. We’ve compiled a list of tips and tricks so you can make sure your textbooks are in the best condition possible by the end of the semester so you can sell them for the most money.
We understand your books are probably going to receive some wear and tear — you’re in college, after all. But keeping your textbooks in great condition will give you your best chance at receiving some money for them when the term is over. Here are three easy ways you can keep your textbooks looking their best.
Avoid using textbooks for anything but studying
If you’re using your book as a lap desk, dinner plate, or coffee coaster, it’s going to look worn. Coffee will inevitably splash a little, food will spill, and then suddenly your textbook will look more like a menu than an instructional manual. Use your textbook for studying, assignments, and reading–avoid having food around it at all.
Don’t write in textbooks or highlight passages
This is why Post-It Notes were invented. We know writing in your textbook may be the easiest way to keep your thoughts organized, but when you write in a textbook or highlight a sentence, it actually decreases the value of your book. If your book was brand-new when you bought it, and you write in it, the condition immediately goes from new-ish to looking-used-ish.
If you buy a textbook and there are already notes in it, you may think that adding your own doesn’t make it look any worse. Imagine if all previous owners had the same thought. Companies that sell used textbooks generally rate them by their condition, so the more notes a book has, the worse the condition rating. There are plenty of sticky notes and notepads you can use to take notes while you read.
Give textbooks their own place
This may seem silly, but having a designated place for your textbooks will help you take care of books and keep them in top condition. If you have a specific bookshelf or area on your desk for your books, you are less likely to just toss the books wherever there’s room. You want to protect your books’ covers and edges. Rather than dumping them in a pile with other miscellaneous items, put your books in their own place.
It’ll take some thought and effort, but if you can treat your textbooks well throughout the semester, you stand a better chance of selling them when the semester ends. Selling textbooks is a great way to make some money. The better the book’s condition, the more money a vendor is likely to pay you.
