Used Textbooks: How old is too old?

A First Grader in Oklahoma recently received a used textbook once used by a country music superstar. Printed on the “This book is the property of” sticker on the inside front cover was, “Blake Shelton, 1982-83.” That means the singer’s book still has value after more than 35 years.

But not every old book has value. At Western Campus, one of our best-selling English texts is a 1966 printing of Story & Structure. And we have demand for books published in every decade since the 1960’s. We keep a “want list” of our out-of-print books that specific schools are seeking.

So, when a rep from Western Campus asks if your school has any used textbooks, please show them all of your “old” books, including those with no assumed value.

We love to find “old” books with value. It validates what we do and why we do it. Finding old, apparently worthless books that have value means that the school that has them gets some unexpected cash that it can use for other purposes. The school that buys the books often gets hard-to-find or out-of-print copies at a reasonable price. Everybody wins!