Students looking to plan ahead for classes or get a better idea of what classes they want to shop will run into difficulty when they try to find course book lists in advance. For these reasons, as well as economic ones, we would like to encourage professors to post course book lists online.

When students do not find out what books they need until the first day of class, they are forced to pay more to buy their books at the town bookstore or they are put at a disadvantage while they wait for an online store to ship them. Professors should recognize that if they want students to have the course books quickly, posting the book lists would allow students to take advantage of less expensive online options while still getting their books on time.

In addition to the financial benefits to students, having book lists earlier than the first day of class could potentially cut down on "shopping" during add/drop period as students rule out classes due to reading material. Posting book lists would also allow students who want to get an early start on the reading to do so.

We also want to encourage professors to put all books on reserve in the library. While most students prefer to have their own copy of a textbook or novel, books on reserve serve a purpose when money is a factor and only a small amount of reading in a particular book has been assigned.

However, we still encourage the College to commit to covering book purchases as part of financial aid, because we recognize that having to read a book in the library due to financial factors can put students at an unfair disadvantage.

Putting copies on reserve at the library also makes it possible for students to keep up with assigned reading in a class they are still shopping during the add/drop period. If there is a copy available to read, students are able to order a book on the Internet during or after the add/drop period while still being able to keep up with their reading assignments.

We know professors want to support local businesses, and we also appreciate the value of independent bookstores. However, we must all be aware that the cost of textbooks is a burden on many students and that the bookstores in town do not always offer the best service or value. Giving students a book list in advance allows them to save money, and maybe even get a head start on the reading before the semester begins!