Your opinion on looseleaf books

annski729

, United States (general)

#1

Aug 11, 2010 @ 18:51:52

What's your opinion on looseleaf textbooks? Pros? Cons?

0

nittle

, California

#2

Aug 11, 2010 @ 20:39:03

They can be really annoying. You have to take better care of them so the pages don't rip out. But at least you know that you can't sell them at "textbook buy backs" so you can scribble notes all over them. And if you have to photocopy pages out of them it's a whole heck of a lot easier. ( :

1

Ko

\\m/(>.<)\\m/

949 Orange County, California

#3

Aug 11, 2010 @ 20:46:42

Pros: Easy access to an individual page or certain number of pages. You can just carry only a few pages as needed for the daily routine, provided the binding's easy to take off (no need to have weights on extra non used pages like in bound ones). Cheaper than hard bound ones. You can make several paper airplanes if the book's been pretty cheap and you won't use anymore.

Cons: If not organized, they can be everywhere. And they can also come off and get lost. Bad to use in the labs because you are more likely to get the pages lost and accidentally tearing a page apart by tilting or pressing hard. You can make several paper airplanes if the book's been pretty cheap and you won't use anymore.

1

annski729

, United States (general)

#4

Aug 11, 2010 @ 20:56:52

Yeah I was wondering about if they'd tear easily.

I need to buy either a hardcover textbook for 135 bucks, or I can get the looseleaf format for 80. It's a brand new edition and I can't find any used copies for much less. So I could save 55 bucks by getting the looseleaf, but I also think I have more of a chance of selling the hardcover and it'd go for more than 55. If I buy the looseleaf and then can't sell it, then I've actually lost money.

I really like the idea of being able to take out some chapters and not others...but I'm concerned about how annoying the looseleaf would be. I don't usually photocopy things and if I do then I can deal with it being annoying and I don't usually benefit from making notes in textbooks.

I guess I'm leaning towards the hardcover.

0

Edited: August 11, 2010 @ 20:58

boobagins

SPICY HOT TAMALES

Astral Weeks, Florida

#5

Aug 11, 2010 @ 21:00:48

I like them, they're usually cheaper than hard covers, its easier to carry around and not as heavy.

If you're only going to be using the book for a semester, I go for the cheaper loose leaf ones than hardcovers.

You do have to take better care of them since the edges and covers can easily bend, but that's really a no brainier.

Also, they are easier to sell to other students since they're cheaper.

Harder to sell back or get your money's worth if you're selling back to a bookstore though.

Also..if the book goes out of edition, then you might not get as much money back as you would for hard covers.

But overall, more pro's than cons.

0

boobagins

SPICY HOT TAMALES

Astral Weeks, Florida

#6

Aug 11, 2010 @ 21:02:59

@annski729 Said

Yeah I was wondering about if they'd tear easily.

I need to buy either a hardcover textbook for 135 bucks, or I can get the looseleaf format for 80. It's a brand new edition and I can't find any used copies for much less. So I could save 55 bucks by getting the looseleaf, but I also think I have more of a chance of selling the hardcover and it'd go for more than 55. If I buy the looseleaf and then can't sell it, then I've actually lost money.

I really like the idea of being able to take out some chapters and not others...but I'm concerned about how annoying the looseleaf would be. I don't usually photocopy things and if I do then I can deal with it being annoying and I don't usually benefit from making notes in textbooks.

I guess I'm leaning towards the hardcover.

They're not that "breakable."

Yeah the tear or bend, but you would really have to try for a book to end up in really bad condition.

If you just apply basic care as you would to any other textbook, then you have nothing to fear.

0

Ko

\\m/(>.<)\\m/

949 Orange County, California

#7

Aug 11, 2010 @ 21:03:27

Are you buying from college bookstore or online?

If online, you can probably buy the brand new one for similar price range. I always buy my textbooks on Amazon, eBay, and Half.

If I plan to keep the book, I always buy anything new: the hardcover and new or new international bound version or I would even buy the looseleaf depending on how I will be using or/and shop around (but never at college bookstores, the prices are way up there). If I just have to buy for once and don't plan to keep, I just buy Use Like New conditions. If the book's optional, I just buy any used with lowest but reasonable to be in readable condition priced one.

Hardcovers sell better and sometimes followed by international bound versions. Then the looseleaf ones.

Ya I have never made notes or highlights in any of my textbooks.

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DiscordTiger

The Queen of Random

Administrator

Emerald City, United States (g

#8

Aug 11, 2010 @ 21:05:15

I liked that I only had to take the relevant chapters to class each time. They were all 3-hole punch in a binders. as I already had a bunch of other things to carry around during the day.

But I kept the books, so reselling was not a factor.

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annski729

, United States (general)

#9

Aug 11, 2010 @ 21:07:26

@Ko Said

Are you buying from college bookstore or online?

If online, you can probably buy the brand new one for similar price range. I always buy my textbooks on Amazon, eBay, and Half.

If I plan to keep the book, I always buy anything new: the hardcover and new or new international bound version or I would even buy the looseleaf depending on how I will be using or/and shop around (but never at college bookstores, the prices are way up there). If I just have to buy for once and don't plan to keep, I just buy Use Like New conditions. If the book's optional, I just buy any used with lowest but reasonable to be in readable condition priced one.

Hardcovers sell better and sometimes followed by international bound versions. Then the looseleaf ones.

Ya I have never made notes or highlights in any of my textbooks.

I always buy my books online, usually from Amazon or some other website. Then I sell them back on Amazon. Part of the reason why I don't make any marks is because I like to be able to sell them back for more.

I like paperbacks and international editions, but I can't locate any of those for this textbook. I guess the other option is to buy an earlier edition but I don't really like doing that.

0

annski729

, United States (general)

#10

Aug 11, 2010 @ 21:08:27

@boobagins Said

They're not that "breakable."

Yeah the tear or bend, but you would really have to try for a book to end up in really bad condition.

If you just apply basic care as you would to any other textbook, then you have nothing to fear.

Thanks.

0

Victoria077

Elkhart,

#11

Aug 12, 2010 @ 17:37:34

They are an economical way to go about securing your books. However, I would recommend a hard cover for any books you will keep as reference material throughout your time in college or into your future vocation; frequent use can be really hard on lose leaf books. Hope that helps...

0

smallBUTTerflies

Weaker than homeopat

Plymouth,

#12

Aug 12, 2010 @ 17:40:18

I had to use those in primary school.

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nittle

, California

#13

Aug 12, 2010 @ 20:59:54

@annski729 Said

Yeah I was wondering about if they'd tear easily.

I need to buy either a hardcover textbook for 135 bucks, or I can get the looseleaf format for 80. It's a brand new edition and I can't find any used copies for much less. So I could save 55 bucks by getting the looseleaf, but I also think I have more of a chance of selling the hardcover and it'd go for more than 55. If I buy the looseleaf and then can't sell it, then I've actually lost money.

I really like the idea of being able to take out some chapters and not others...but I'm concerned about how annoying the looseleaf would be. I don't usually photocopy things and if I do then I can deal with it being annoying and I don't usually benefit from making notes in textbooks.

I guess I'm leaning towards the hardcover.

Don't forget that if you do decide to buy the loose leaf you can always sell your book, if you take care of it throughout semester, on Craigslist.com or to Amazon.com. If you sell your hard cover the most you'd get for it would probably be 60-70% from the school and that's IF you're one of the first to sell your book back. You could sell the hardcover online too, but kids will probably buy a well taken care of looseleaf vs a hardcover due to how much cheaper the looseleaf is.

0

annski729

, United States (general)

#14

Aug 12, 2010 @ 21:02:19

@nittle Said

Don't forget that if you do decide to buy the loose leaf you can always sell your book, if you take care of it throughout semester, on Craigslist.com or to Amazon.com. If you sell your hard cover the most you'd get for it would probably be 60-70% from the school and that's IF you're one of the first to sell your book back. You could sell the hardcover online too, but kids will probably buy a well taken care of looseleaf vs a hardcover due to how much cheaper the looseleaf is.

See I think opposite. The school lists the hardcover ISBN...I don't think most people will think to look for another format

I ended up getting the hardcover in the end.

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nittle

, California

#15

Aug 13, 2010 @ 01:20:28

@annski729 Said

See I think opposite. The school lists the hardcover ISBN...I don't think most people will think to look for another format

I ended up getting the hardcover in the end.

Meh, if they've been in school long enough they would. Books have gotten ridiculously costly anyway. I had an English teacher who used to proof read texts for different publishers and he informed me that "New Editions" are bogus. Granted there are new studies and information that do come out but he said not enough to rewrite new texts every year. Teachers could easily use the same text as the year before and give handouts of the new information to use in class. He was actually told that publishers switched paragraphs and chapters around in the text books so that people would have to buy new ones. I thought that was pretty interesting.
**I'm glad that you finally decided what works best for you. ( :

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