In a study published by the Pew Research Center in 2021, they found that 23 percent of Americans haven’t read a single book in the past year. This same study found that 31 percent of Americans making $30,000 or less per year haven’t read a single book in the past year. Spending between $15 to $30 for one book just is not feasible for college students, who spend their rent and groceries money on books. It is simply not their priority.

As an English major, I am constantly having to spend money on books for my classes or spending money on books to read for pleasure. Reading for pleasure is incredibly important as research shows that it increases one’s ability to empathize, helps prevent age-related cognitive decline, reduces stress and helps to decrease depression symptoms, among many other benefits.

I prioritize reading for fun, and I hope to introduce accessible ways of reading to encourage reading. The benefits are not to be ignored, and not being able to afford a $30 hardcover book at Barnes and Noble should never keep people from finding the joy of reading.

February is Library Lovers Month, and one of the most accessible ways of getting your hands on books. Jones Library, located in downtown Amherst and right across the street from Amherst Coffee, offers library cards to University of Massachusetts students. With your library card, not only can you check out the books that they offer, but you can also use it to get a Libby account, an e-book platform, where you can rent e-books for free.

Audiobooks are a great way to read when you don’t have the time to sit down and focus on a book, but they can be expensive. Audible is just another subscription to add to the long list of things you must pay for each week; however, many of you are already paying for Spotify. If you are, I suggest that you look at the thousands of audiobooks they have included with your monthly payment. They have almost every classic novel you could think of, all the way to current popular books, like works by Emily Henry and Taylor Jenkins Reid. There is something for everyone.

I highly recommend supporting your local library, but I know that sometimes there is a long waitlist for a book you want, or you just want to own a physical copy of the book. While these next options are not free, they are incredibly affordable and perfect for college students who need to purchase books for class or want to pick up a book they have been hearing about all over social media.

There are tons of used bookstores in the area that are filled with books at a deeply discounted price. Goodwill or Salvation Army both have sections of used books for only a couple of dollars, but there are countless stores in the Amherst area that are dedicated to selling books at an affordable price.

For example, Amherst Books, located in downtown Amherst, has an entire basement full of used books that are only a couple of dollars each. Grey Matter Books, a 20-minute bus ride from Haigis Mall, is another bookstore close by that is completely dedicated to selling only used books. The Book Mill in Montague and Raven Used Books in Northampton are only a couple more names out of many bookstores in the area where you can purchase books for an incredible discount.

Used bookstores are a great option if you are looking to browse for books or want to pick something up to start reading right away, but you can never guarantee to find a specific book. If there is a book that you are searching for, there is another option if you cannot find it at a used bookstore. Abebooks and Thriftbooks are two different used book websites where you can find almost any book at a discounted price that will be shipped right to you. Perfect if you need a book for class or if you just don’t want to spend a lot of money on a book you were looking to read.

All these options are perfect for college students who are living on a tight budget but still want or need to buy books. Books should be available and accessible to everyone despite their budget, and I hope this inspires you to pick something up to read.

Mary DeCarlo can be reached at [email protected]