Can you get through uni by just borrowing books instead of buying?

I plan on pirating most my books, I’m sure you can too! Buy and return from amazon is also a good option if the used ones aren’t affordable, maybe try and buy books from people in second year that no longer need it?

Reply 2

username1292215

OP

22

Original post by 3121

I plan on pirating most my books, I’m sure you can too! Buy and return from amazon is also a good option if the used ones aren’t affordable, maybe try and buy books from people in second year that no longer need it?

I wanna save as much money as possible.

Tbh I can buy books and then sell them on Amazon, but that requires keeping them in perfect condition so I can sell it for a price as high as possible. Just getting everything in the library is the best thing for me

Reply 3

kkboyk

Original post by SuperHuman98

Ill be studying History which is a lot of reading. Also, dumb question how does it all work? There are over 100 history students I doubt they would have over 100 of the same book in the library or is that how it works?

You could buy some of them second hand (its very cheap) from eBay or previous students, or get them as soon as you get your student card from the library, or even find a pdf copy online.

Not that many people buy their own copy. Some tend to share it with a friend.

Reply 4

Puddles the Monkey

Original post by SuperHuman98

Ill be studying History which is a lot of reading. Also, dumb question how does it all work? There are over 100 history students I doubt they would have over 100 of the same book in the library or is that how it works?

For the library - make sure you're organised and get there first, otherwise there can be a scramble for key books. And plan to read the book straight away otherwise it might get recalled by someone else and then you've missed your chance :rofl:

But mostly everyone will be reading/researching different things for essays so most of the time it's not too bad. Also worth finding out if there are other uni libraries you can use for more options.

I bought some books myself if I could find them cheaply online, especially ones that I was using a lot or was basing an essay around. There are some cheap books on Amazon. Sometimes the shipping takes FOREVER though so bear that in mind.

Sometimes you can find a PDF online, especially for very popular books :dontknow:

Highly recommend Internet Archive for primary sources (depending on what you're researching). They have tons of stuff. :smile:

Makes life easier!

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 5

Original post by Puddles the Monkey

For the library - make sure you're organised and get there first, otherwise there can be a scramble for key books. And plan to read the book straight away otherwise it might get recalled by someone else and then you've missed your chance :rofl:

But mostly everyone will be reading/researching different things for essays so most of the time it's not too bad. Also worth finding out if there are other uni libraries you can use for more options.

I bought some books myself if I could find them cheaply online, especially ones that I was using a lot or was basing an essay around. There are some cheap books on Amazon. Sometimes the shipping takes FOREVER though so bear that in mind.

Sometimes you can find a PDF online, especially for very popular books :dontknow:

Highly recommend Internet Archive for primary sources (depending on what you're researching). They have tons of stuff. :smile:

Makes life easier!

Also don't be afraid to sail the seven seas with the Jolly Rodger.

Reply 6

Yeah, very few students feel the need to actually go out and buy their textbooks.
I have quite a large personal library now of textbooks relating to my subject in part because as a first year, I bought most of the reading list (many of which were literally never mentioned or made reference to for the entirety of the course) but also in part because I wanted to be quite a diligent student who read the material thoroughly and I figured I'd need to own copies rather than rely on the library. That certainly proved true as I often had to scurry on to campus when I hadn't planned to in order to return books that had been requested back.

You could always knick a PDF from the internet in most cases but that is essentially just theft.

Reply 7

Puddles the Monkey

Also google books often will allow you preview/read a chapter or two :ninja:

Reply 8

Original post by Johnathan94

You could always knick a PDF from the internet in most cases but that is essentially just theft.

Property is theft.

Reply 9

Original post by ChaoticButterfly

Property is theft.

Sure thing, comrade.
But the internet does seem to bring out the liberal approach to property in a way that you don't see in the real world.

If this was a post about food shopping, I doubt there would be any comments saying "Just nip down to Tesco and stick a few frozen pizzas up your jumper."

Reply 10

Original post by Johnathan94

Sure thing, comrade.
But the internet does seem to bring out the liberal approach to property in a way that you don't see in the real world.

If this was a post about food shopping, I doubt there would be any comments saying "Just nip down to Tesco and stick a few frozen pizzas up your jumper."

If I could print out a pizza you bet I would be printing out a pizza.

nom nom nom

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 11

username1292215

OP

22

Original post by ChaoticButterfly

Property is theft.

If you use a pdf that is freely availible on the internet surely that isn't theft since you are just using it but not taking it?

Reply 12

Original post by SuperHuman98

If you use a pdf that is freely availible on the internet surely that isn't theft since you are just using it but not taking it?

Let me introduce you to the cluster**** that is intelectual property and digital rights management.

But yes, being told you cannot look at some text on you screen from a google search feels like an affront. Becuase it is.

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 13

Original post by SuperHuman98

If you use a pdf that is freely availible on the internet surely that isn't theft since you are just using it but not taking it?

If I steal a car for you to use, then surely you're not complicit in stealing - you're just using a car that was freely available.

piratebay

OP

Original post by Johnathan94

If I steal a car for you to use, then surely you're not complicit in stealing - you're just using a car that was freely available.

What if you gave the car back?

EDIT: Now I understand how it is stealing

Reply 16

Original post by Johnathan94

If I steal a car for you to use, then surely you're not complicit in stealing - you're just using a car that was freely available.

Can you easily duplicate a car at next to zero cost?

Reply 17

Original post by ChaoticButterfly

Can you easily duplicate a car at next to zero cost?

Even if you could, that wouldn't mean that you hadn't stolen it.
Someone will have spent years of their life designing and engineering that car and the point where you produce one without their permission (and without paying them), you'll have committed theft.

Reply 18