Can a college require you to buy books at their bookstore and not release the ISBN numbers to students?

Question

Currently there is a situation where a student is in a Master's program and the college is not releasing the ISBN numbers and forcing the student to go to the bookstore and buy the book. Is this legal and, if there is a law against it, where online would I find the law that points out the unethical or illegal nature of this action?

I have another part to this question...
What if the student or students are in another state or country and taking the program online. The bookstore is also online and doesn't show the ISBNs of the books which would force the students out-of-state or abroad to buy the books only at that online bookstore. How can this be legal or ethical? If it is not legal, could you please state examples and laws prohibiting this practice?

Answer 1

Yes, unfortunately it does happen. It happened to me when I went to East Stroudsburg University as both an undergrad and a grad student. I tried fighting it and even taking it up with the university powers-that-be. It's clearly a scan to inflate prices and cause students to have to buy books at the college bookstore. Many schools though, I am sure, do not use such a practice.

If I were you, I would go to the bookstore, take the books you want and copy down the isbn numbers yourself (if that is possible.)

Fight the power.

I am sure there are legal experts here who can assist.

I am so happy that someone is challenging such a corrupt practice. I commend you.

Answer 2

Have the student get the ISBN off of someone else. Granted, college text books are extremely expensive but, its been my experience that if you go into a retail book store, their computers don't have the ISBN on file and when they do, there isn't much of a difference in the price. Whether its the bookstore at the college or at the mall, someone is going to make money off of the students.

Answer 3

what prevents the student from going to the bookstore picking put the book and copying down the isbn which is located above the barcode on any book, and also printed within the first 4 pages of any text book. while they might not give the isbn over the phone a little leg work would solve this it seems.

also i suggest searching amazon for the title and author of the book, the isbn is often given there as well.

Answer 4

You can get the ISBN number when you go to the bookstore to purchase the books. Just write them down while you are in the bookstore then look them up later on the internet to find them cheaper. There is always a way to beat the system.

Answer 5

Not sure, but if you contact the AG in your state and ask I am sure they can give you an answer.

Sounds real shady.

Let me guess, the books were written by the professors in your classes or by one of their colleagues?

College bookstores charge you way too much for way too little and if you had your choice you would go to a re-seller and save several hundred bucks.

Answer 6

I doubt that it's legal. What would they do? Couldn't you talk to someone who already bought the books and get the ISBN's?

It sounds like an unenforceable directive to me.

Answer 7

that's messed up! the guy in the bookstore in my college is the one who told ME about the ISBN number....
wow...

Answer 8

You can look up the ISBN numbers..There is an online directory..Not sure if this illegal..but it does seem unethical

Answer 9

it depends.

certain college grants and scholarships require the student to whom the grant/scholarship is awarded to buy textbooks at the bookstore of the college in which the student is enrolled.

Answer 10

I can't see where it would be illegal. Is it ethical? Maybe not, but that's usually not the kind of ethical situation that a complaint would fix.