Textbook Truths Revealed

You may be entertained by this Got Medieval post revealing the truth about how professors select textbooks for their classes.

Apparently it is not usually because they get mad kickbacks from publishers for selecting the most expensive and annoying texts, but it is riddled with complications, pain and sorrow.

This reminds me of an interesting post I read somewhere about libraries and textbooks, where someone (apologies to that person, I cannot find that post now) was arguing that all those students who hope to check their textbooks out of the library should really direct their energy in another direction. I remember a line something like "it's not our job to provide every textbook on your reading list!"

I think the idea there is that it's not really the library's business to provide students with the texts assigned for their classes: it's more the library's business to provide access to a wide variety of other texts that students might be interested in or find useful for their studies, but not be able to readily purchase at the bookstore. The library should expand upon the bookstore's offerings, then, rather than simply stock up on everything that's being used for every class.

Assuming any student has time to be interested in a book that's not assigned reading, of course. I remember, with a certain mild level of fondness, checking out piles of books for papers a few times when I was in college, but certainly most of the time you use the texts you've been assigned. I mean, that's what they're teaching, right?

Anyway, if you have any need to buy textbooks, just know that everyone is suffering on all sides of the problem.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" I picture you asking.

No. It's supposed to make me feel better, because I don't have to buy textbooks. Oh, wait, 'collection development' basically means I have to buy textbooks for the library. I probably won't be able to get everything you need for every class, either. Noooooooooooooooo!!!!!!

Now I feel bad too. OK? Let us all be miserable together.

That's what you call an old-fashioned fairy tale ending.

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