The items that every Nicholls student needs this semester, but which take a large chunk of change out of his wallet, are textbooks.Students are searching for the cheapest and the most convenient way of purchasing the textbooks required for their classes.

One of the books students are required to purchase for most English and writing classes is “The Little, Brown Handbook.” The most recent version of “The Little, Brown Handbook” at the Nicholls Bookstore is $66 new ($49.50 used). The same book can be purchased at Big Worm Books for $42.95 used and rented from Textbook Rentals, Inc., for $30.94.

For students who rather purchase textbooks online, “The Little, Brown Handbook” can be purchased from Amazon.com for $52.80, with bids starting as low as $.99 and as high as $30 for the book on e-bay.

Since many students prefer to purchase textbooks online for convenience, the Nicholls Bookstore now offers an online ordering service at www.whywaitforbooks.com.

On this Web site, the student enters the semester, department, course number and class section and they are quoted the price of a new textbook. If used books are available, they are charged the lower price. Like other ordering services, the textbooks could be delivered straight to the student’s address, or they can choose to pick it up at the Nicholls Bookstore.

“We have the largest supply of textbooks the students here at Nicholls need,” Angelle Caillouet, Nicholls Bookstore manager, said. “They may look elsewhere but most end up purchasing their books from us because of the convenience of being here on campus.”

Books can be bought back by the Nicholls Bookstore no matter where they are purchased. If the textbook being bought back will be used the following semester and the bookstore has not yet reached its buyback limit, the student will be paid 50% of the selling price. Otherwise, the student will receive the latest national wholesale price.

“I purchased a few books that I knew I needed from the Nicholls Bookstore, but the rest I plan on buying from a friend,” Chloe East, pre-pharmacy sophomore from Houma, said.

Students often decided to borrow or purchase textbooks from friends or relatives for a lower price rather than purchase or rent them from a store.

“I usually buy my textbooks from the Nicholls Bookstore, although I think it’s stupid to pay about $100 for a book you use once,” Matt Benoit, agricultural business sophomore from Thibodaux, said. “I’m not selling my books back though; I’m keeping them in case my sisters need them when they come to Nicholls next semester.”

Caillouet said she finds that a number of students prefer to wait a few weeks to see if they really need the textbook and then decide if they are going to purchase, rent or do without the book.

“Textbooks are too expensive,” Chris Thornton, pre-pharmacy senior from Berwick, said. “If I need them, I’ll rent them later.”

Many classes required by certain majors that can also act as electives have big, expensive textbooks. The 11th edition of the textbook “Physical Geology” by Plummer used for Geology 101 is $113.70 at the Nicholls Bookstore if new and $83.30 used. The same book is $81.95 from Big Worm Books if used and can be rented from Textbook Rentals Inc. for $53.98. For students who prefer to buy books online, the book is $95.90 on Amazon.com and has a starting bid of $47.95 on e-bay.

“I have been here at the Nicholls Bookstore for 25 years,” Caillouet said. “Back then, textbooks sold for $20 to $25, and even then students complained about the prices.”

Caillouet said the cost of supplies to make a textbook and fuel have gone up, including the price of textbooks.

“It all adds up to the expense of the end product,” Caillouet said.

Students can get a full return during the first week of school for books purchased for this semester that will not be needed.