As assignments start piling up, so does the cost of textbooks. In the past, many students turned to Amazon’s textbook rental service. It allowed users to pay a lower sum of money, to rent a textbook for a semester, and return the book when classes ended. It was a convenient and cheap method for students who wished to not keep a book after a class ended.

This semester, many students noticed this wasn’t even an option anymore. “As of April 1, 2023, Amazon is no longer offering print textbook rentals,” Amazon stated on their textbook rental webpage. The announcement came as a disappointment for students who relied on this service each semester.

Students responded with complaints about the discontinuation of the service and have turned to alternatives like Chegg, borrowing books, or not purchasing the books at all.

“It’s not as if we are going to need the exact book again,” one GS senior said. “We have no need for the outrageous amount spent on purchasing books.” This student suggested charging students a flat rate for access to download online textbooks instead.

“Now I have to purchase a book at full price that is often not needed for the whole semester,” one GS senior said.

“I always rent the textbooks for core classes that do not have to do with my major,” one GS junior said. “It really sucks having to purchase material that I will never reflect back on in the future of my career.”