Textbook Bundling & Customization: Is There Value?

Testimonials

The following are excerpts from actual correspondence between university professors and bookstore managers.

From (bookstore manager)
To: (professor)

Dear ________,

I order the textbooks for ________ and am trying to determine how many books to carry. To do that I need to understand a little more about your book list. You have ordered the old edition of Kleiner's Gardner Art Thru the Ages, Vol II, as required, and the new bundled edition as recommended. What will you be communicating to your students regarding these two editions?

I would also like to know if the whole package is necessary or if the students can meet the course requirements if they buy a "used" text without all the added elements (CD, Infotrk, Study Guide)?

Not trying to pry where I shouldn't, just trying to make sure I have the right stuff on the shelf and advise students correctly.

General Manager
__________ Bookstore

From: (professor)
To: (bookstore manager)
In response to above:

Dear _______,

1) I do NOT care about ANY of the supplemental elements (CD, Infotrk, Study guide). They are irrelevant. I am happy to have students buy either used or new texts that do not have them.

2) My syllabus, or rather the page numbers in it for the readings, will be tied to the new edition, the 12th edition, of Volume 2 of Gardner's Art Through the Ages . So that should be the "required" edition.

However, the differences between the 11th and the 12th edition are not very significant, so I do not mind if the students use the older edition, especially since there will not be many (any?) used copies of the new 12th edition available yet. I didn't want the students to feel REQUIRED to buy the more expensive 12th edition, with all those unnecessary "extras" bundled with it, when the 11th edition, which they can buy used, will work fine.

I hope that makes a bit more sense and offers a bit more guidance as far as ordering. The above is basically what I tell the students. If I can be of any more help, please let me know.

Best,
________