[IronJack]

Why are college textbooks -- or ANY textbooks for that matter -- not electronic? The idea of buying a hardbound book that you'll use for one semester and never see again is absurd. And don't think you can sell them back to the bookstore; you'll get pennies on the dollar, even if the book is in mint condition.

Put the books on a server, charge (reasonably) for the download, and come into the 21st century.

[LuvFreeRepublic]

Publishing companies give a portion of proceeds to the college. Crony capitalism at its best. /s

[TangibleDisgust]

that doesn’t really work for science books or applied science books. those texts become reference books you sometimes refer to in your career, and it’s much easier to have a bunch of textbooks open at a desk than multiple PDF files on your computer when working through tough engineering or math problems. i’m glad i went to school before laptop computers when you had to take hand written notes in lecture.