In addition to the multitude of services the San Joaquin Delta College Bookstore has to offer, this semester marks the beginning of textbook rentals.
Due to the high price of books, and the desire to provide something more affordable to students, the idea of renting textbooks was put into action.
Fidel Cabuena, Director of Auxiliary Services, is the man behind the success of this idea.
The idea of rentals had been proposed before, but previous managers had not actively advocated it as Cabuena has.
Renting a textbook is significantly cheaper than buying the book because it is bought by a wholesaler at then end of the semester when they are returned.
“It’s basically like buyback up front,” says Assistant Textbook Coordinator Mike Dunnigan.
Renting also prevents books that will never be opened again from accumulating at home over the years spent at Delta.
In order to rent textbooks, one must be 18 years old, have a valid credit card, a San Joaquin Delta College ID number and have filled out the “Textbook Rental Agreement.”
Renting books is similar to the process of buying them.
Visit the San Joaquin Delta College Book Store website, select the correct courses, and the books will display like they have in the past. Except if the book is available for rental, there will be a note indicating so. If purchasing books in the store, there is a note on the shelf indicating the books availability for rental as well.
Books can be shipped to a home address or picked up at the bookstore as early as one hour after the order is placed. The books are kept all semester and must be returned in good condition at the end of the semester on a specified date. If not returned in good conditions, student can be subject to fines.
There are over 150 titles to choose from right now, and over 2,000 books have been rented so far. Books are still being rented every day even this far into the semester.
The coordinators wish to further expand the rental service in the coming semesters.
“We want to double the amount of titles we have by next semester,” said Cabuena.
