The obsolescence built into the system of textbook publishing in the United States (and likely elsewhere) is absolutely obscene.  Seldom if ever are the revisions used to justify the new edition substantial enough to warrant a completely new edition.  The motivation is transparent, boldfaced greed in most cases.  No new subatomic particle has been found, no new principle deserving of a new reference.  The publisher, author, sales staff and stockholders merely want everyone to dump their old textbooks and buy new ones.  They want to ‘plug the hole’ in their profits that has been created by the vast and thriving market in used textbook selling online.

Now, let’s not overlook the fact that many colleges and private high schools will stock and sell used textbooks at sometimes deep discounts.  But as anyone who has approached the new semester on a limited budget will attest, the section of used texts is the first to disappear.

But the source of used textbooks online is vast.  While the major sources (Amazon, eBay’s Half.com, etc.) will often have the gretest depth of stock, I personally try to support diversity and so a simple web search for ‘used textbooks’ will turn up many sources.  In fact, I found the following interesting online business with just such a search.  It is called EcoEncore and they operate to support worthy causes in their home state of Washington.  It strikes me as a wonderful business model for sustainability, and I hope it is copied in all 50 states and all over the world.

While we are at it, why not register your vote against the planned obsolescense of textbooks by writing to the major textbook publishers and pledging to never again buy a new text if you have the opportunity to buy a used one… until such a time as you are sure that new books are issued for your educational benefit and not their profitability.  Here’s an online list of many textbook publishers from Yahoo, but there are many more still that can be found with a simple search on the quoted term ‘textbook publisher.’

See also Online Buying.