Textbook costs?

ETKM123

So I'm going to be a new student at NUIG in the fall from the U.S. and I'm wondering about the average textbook/supplies costs. I'm in film and probably taking a series of general ed. classes in the humanities.

Do people tend to order their books online or are there places to purchase used textbooks? What is the campus store like?

Raging_Ninja

ETKM123 wrote: »

So I'm going to be a new student at NUIG in the fall from the U.S. and I'm wondering about the average textbook/supplies costs. I'm in film and probably taking a series of general ed. classes in the humanities.

Do people tend to order their books online or are there places to purchase used textbooks? What is the campus store like?

Textbooks can be expensive - many are €70+.

To be honest getting the books is optional - most of the texts or similar are available in the library and online for free.

So far, having done a BA (what you guys call Humanities) and in the process of completing an MSc in Software Design and Development, the only time I ever bought the books was in first year and I learned my lesson having only opened the books maybe half a dozen times in the year.

Fionn MacCool

Buying text-books is a rookie mistake, especially in this day and age with the internet. Unless your lecturer is a nobhead (not entirely unfathomable) and sets assignments from the books or something, it's generally easy enough to find what you need online. Facts are facts really, and they're available from loads of sources.

It is handy to have a textbook during exam time though, especially if you've the willpower of a smackhead and get distracted by Facebook/Flash games/wikipedia articles about some arcane topic you'd never bother your arse reading any other time of year.

ETKM123

well say i do want to buy textbooks for one reason or another is there a campus store or something where i can buy used ones? or order online? Here at our campus store there are piles of old used textbooks for dirt cheap, are there similar systems at NUIG?

Raging_Ninja

ETKM123 wrote: »

well say i do want to buy textbooks for one reason or another is there a campus store or something where i can buy used ones? or order online? Here at our campus store there are piles of old used textbooks for dirt cheap, are there similar systems at NUIG?

As far as I know the Student bookshop doesn't sell second hand books, however there area bunch of bookshops which might, and the Students Union often has notices of students selling their own used books. But honestly you are financially better off with online resources.

Ficheall

Your best bet for second-hand books would be to keep an eye on noticeboards around the college where people will be trying to get rid of the books they foolishly bought the previous year/during their course.

joeKel73

Fionn MacCool wrote: »

Buying text-books is a rookie mistake, especially in this day and age with the internet.

+1 to this. I bought several books in first year, bad idea. Most books needed will be in the library. Also it's good to have a few different books on-hand as some cover some topics better than others.

Might be useful for some courses like law where you'll have reference books to use later in your career. That was my intention too, now I've several British Standards engineering books that are worthless in a world of Eurocodes!

joeKel73

Also the SU has a second hand bookstore where you can buy and sell. If your book sells they'll let you know and you can collect the €. For Sale / Wanted posters around college work very well too.

http://www.su.nuigalway.ie/bookstore/

Carstuck

Raging_Ninja wrote: »

As far as I know the Student bookshop doesn't sell second hand books, however there area bunch of bookshops which might, and the Students Union often has notices of students selling their own used books. But honestly you are financially better off with online resources.

The students union do sell second hand books. Students leave them into the SU who then sell then on minus a €2 'selling fee'. Personally, I used to buy the books some new others second hand, you can sell them the next year to the SU and your not going to be completely broke after them. Some books you have to buy as they may have some online resources that can only be accessed with a code that is got when the book is bought new. It really all depends on the lecture etc.

joeKel73

The SU are giving away a load of free books today if you call in.
Nothing really of interest to IT or Engineering, mostly Arts or Business subjects.

* resisting urge to take a load to sell later *

RolandIRL

Anything for applied maths or physics, do you know? Might pop over there later. What time do they close?

joeKel73

I think there was a couple of Maths books but didn't spot any applied maths or physics. They're open 10:00am - 12:00pm and 2:00pm to 4:30pm.

RolandIRL

J o e wrote: »

I think there was a couple of Maths books but didn't spot any applied maths or physics. They're open 10:00am - 12:00pm and 2:00pm to 4:30pm.

Ta for that, might pop in in the next hour or so.