By Eden Univer Collegian Staff

Textbook theft is becoming an increasingly troubling problem for colleges and universities around the United States.

For a college student, a textbook can be a very expensive item to purchase. According to Ken Kahler, store director of the University Store and Textbook Annex at the University of Massachusetts, the cost of textbook prices has been on the rise in recent years.

“Textbook inflation over the past 10 years has been around six percent,” said Kahler.

Every semester, students are asked to purchase more books. The increases in textbook prices have not gone unnoticed by students.

According to UMass sophomore Jesse Carrillo, textbooks are “ridiculously overpriced.”

Trish Cronin, a junior at UMass as well as a Resident Assistant (R.A.) in Baker dormitory in the Central residential area, agrees.

“I keep spending more and more money every semester on [textbooks],” she said.

As textbook prices rise they become a very tempting item to steal, especially on college campuses where they can be found just about anywhere. Yet students are not always as careful as they should be with their books.

UMass sophomore Abhay Vatsa had his calculus book stolen when he accidentally left it behind in a classroom.

“I left it under my chair with my Agenda book,” said Vatsa, “I went back to get it and the Agenda was there but the textbook was gone.”

Many students admitted to leaving their books behind, even for short amounts of time, at different places on campus.

“I leave my backpack in the Dining Commons by a table and then go get food,” said Carrillo, “and I also leave my books in practice rooms in the Fine Arts Center.”

This is not, however, a recommended practice. As an R.A., Cronin advises students to always lock their dorm room doors, even if they are just leaving their room for a moment.

Kahn agrees, saying that he has experienced many instances in which students have approached him to explain their textbook theft stories.

“Mostly it occurs on campus when books are left unattended in study halls, libraries, cafeterias, etc.,” said Kahn. “We recommend that students always secure their books and not leave them unattended.”

Once the textbooks have been stolen there are plenty of places for people to sell them. The anonymity of the internet makes it a perfect place for these books to be sold. Web sites such as Half.com, Webuycollegebooks.com, and Textbook.com are just a few examples of places on the web where people can go to sell books without any questions asked. There are also many groups on Facebook.com that are completely devoted to the buying and selling of textbooks.

With books flying out of rooms, classrooms, and other campus buildings, students need to be aware of their belongings. It might come as a surprise to some students that textbooks are an increasingly hot commodity, all the more reason to keep them safe and secure.

Eden Univer can be reached at [email protected].