As the semester comes to a close, students are shopping around to sell their textbooks to the highest bidder.

The UofA Bookstore is offering some new locations to make book buybacks more convenient for students this semester, but some students are opting to sell their books through other means.

Billy Halim, an industrial engineering junior, said he usually checks the UofA Bookstore Web site to see if a book is being bought back.

If it isn’t, or the price seems too low, he said he sells his books at Half.com, an eBay-owned company that allows online sellers to list and set the price for their items, such as textbooks.

Halim estimated that he’s able to sell his books for about 30 percent more through Half.com.

Jon Sales, a pre-business freshman, also said he sells his books to other local bookstores such as Bookman’s Entertainment Exchange, 1930 E. Grant Road, because they pay more for his books than the bookstore does.

Dawn Wise, a public administration graduate student, said she sells the books she doesn’t think she will ever need again.

“”Even if it’s only five bucks, it’s five bucks I didn’t have before,”” Wise said.

Wise said she went to return an $85-book that was being bought back for about $26. Wise said the bookstore should offer to accept books for more money unless the book becomes obsolete.

Meghan Harper, a history senior, said she sold back four textbooks yesterday to the bookstore for $45. She didn’t use the books this semester because she dropped the course, but she wasn’t able to return the books in time for a full refund.

Harper said she sells about half of her books back to the bookstore when she’s finished with them at the end of the semester.

“”I usually keep half because I think they’re still helpful to have,”” Harper said.

Harper said she tried to sell two more books, but the bookstore isn’t buying them back because the class isn’t offered in the fall.

Harper said she will give the books to a friend who enrolls in the class the next time it’s offered or donate them to the UA library.

“”It’s great if you can buy books and can profit back later. Otherwise, it’s worthwhile to donate them to the UA library, another public library or to a collection of books for students,”” Harper said.

Allison Berrie, a studio art junior, said she’s relieved she doesn’t have any books to sell back this semester because none of her classes required books.

“”It’s very expensive, and you don’t get nearly enough back,”” Berrie said.

She said textbook publishers are creating new versions of textbooks that don’t differ much from previous editions, which is costing students more money and lowering the value of previous editions.

“”I don’t think it’s necessary for them to put out so many editions,”” Berrie said.

She said she keeps the books she isn’t able to sell back to the bookstore.

“”They’re just on my shelf collecting dust,”” Berrie said.

According to the bookstore, a booth will be on the UA Mall for book buybacks today. Other locations for UofA Bookstore buybacks on campus will be at the Park Student Union, the main bookstore, Manzanita-Mohave residence hall and Book Ends Cafe.

UofA Bookstore employees referred comment to public relations managers, who were unavailable yesterday.

The bookstore’s Web site states that book buyback prices depend on whether the book is on any instructor’s book lists for the next semester.

If it is, the bookstore will purchase a book for up to half of its retail price, depending on the number of copies the bookstore has in stock. If a book is not on any professor’s listings, the book pricing is set by the book’s current market value in the U.S.

The UofA Bookstore also offers a classified book listing on its Web site where students can list, price and sell their own books.