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University Textbook Exchange Software

Posted by michael on from the cut-out-the-middleman dept.

PageMap writes "With the textbook-buying season upon us, many universities and student organizations are attempting to combat the on-campus bookstore's overcharging by starting up their own grassroots book exchange efforts. The problem is the seeming lack of available web-based software to facilitate an efficient book exchange. Is there such a thing as free web-based software made for this type of use?"

4 of 324 comments (clear)

  1. UT has one by Lane.exe · · Score: 5, Informative

    I'm not sure if it's free or not, but the University of Texas has a book exchange. I've never used it personally, but I know people who have and they've always been satisfied with it.

    --
    IAALS.
  2. Forum? by shadowcabbit · · Score: 5, Informative

    Why not just set up a BBS/forum? Plenty of free ones exist (phpBB, phorum being the two most popular), and a little moderation and regulation (i.e. one forum has offers, one side has requests), you could easily have an alternative to the campus bookstore.

    --
    "Why Subscribe?" Good question...
  3. Auction software by madsen · · Score: 5, Informative

    Take a look at MySQLauction.
    Freshmeat is also a good startting point.

  4. Rutgers Used Book Swap by jgaynor · · Score: 5, Informative

    A Member of the Rutgers University Student Linux Users Group has created just such a thing here at RU using PHP and MySQL. The site is hosted on our server here:

    http://ruslug.rutgers.edu/bookswap/

    I'm not completely familiar with the project - there's an "about this site" page, but no real mention of a license in regards to the php scripts being used. The author's link is on the about page - try emailing him.

    Hope that helps and good luck sticking it to those bastards at efollet who, whether you know it yet or not, probably run your school's bookstore!