Can you borrow your uni books or do you need to purchase them?

[nemolala]

So I am constantly reading here that you don't really need to take your texts to uni, and sometimes you barely even need to go through them (correct me if I'm wrong btw)..so doesn't it become almost a total waste of money to buy them?

And can you borrow them according to how long you require them or the library don't really stock uni books that you would need for certain courses?

It just seems pointless to buy books (which I assume will be rather  pricey) if you won't be referring to them often. I mean, they don't act the same way as VCE texts do I think..

[Russ]

So I am constantly reading here that you don't really need to take your texts to uni, and sometimes you barely even need to go through them (correct me if I'm wrong btw)..so doesn't it become almost a total waste of money to buy them?

In general, yes. I've bought 4 books in 3 years and I regret buying 3 of those books. Don't buy any texts until after you start, so you can get a feel for what you do and don't need (in later years you will be able to work out what texts are important just on the subject description).

And can you borrow them according to how long you require them or the library don't really stock uni books that you would need for certain courses?

The library absolutely stocks them but if you've got 200 people all wanting to borrow them...
Most of the time they're on overnight loan if they're a set text for a class, so you can get them if you really need them but you have to fight with other people

It just seems pointless to buy books (which I assume will be rather  pricey) if you won't be referring to them often. I mean, they don't act the same way as VCE texts do I think..

Not sure what you're studying, but in general the lecturer will provide you with fairly detailed notes from his/her class. I generally find that after the lecture I understand the notes fine and I only use textbooks when I need to clarify an issue or tie some things together. In reality though, with the internet (wikipedia, google, journal databases) you really don't need textbooks any more

[VivaTequila]

wow that's bizzare...

not buying textbooks until after you start. sheesh..

this is going to be an interesting year

[taiga]

I have only had the book benefit me for 1 of my 8 subjects.

Definitely try to suss out from other students (that don't have a vested interest in selling a book) which subjects need them. Asking here will work for quite a few subjects actually

[Russ]

Every first year will proceed to ignore my advice and buy all the textbooks for their first semester subjects. Happens every year.

[grevenchorf]

wow that's bizzare...

not buying textbooks until after you start. sheesh..

this is going to be an interesting year

Definitely definitely definitely do this! If I could repeat first year again, I'd probably save about $500 in unnecessary textbook purchases if I'd just waited until after the first week to buy them. Normally the lecturer will talk about the textbooks in the first week and say something like, "You will be expected to do weekly readings from this textbook" (in which case I'd probably get it) or "This textbook is great for referencing a few things you don't understand and there is a reading in Week X that comes from it" (definitely don't get it, just borrow from the library).

[xdecay]

i've seen a link somewhere on AN that leads you to a torrent site for all uni textbooks but i forgot to keep it.
can someone post it here again? thanks.

[Russ]

That would be illegal so no. I'm sure you can find it yourself though via google...

[nemolala]

@Russ: Well I will be studying Podiatry if that makes any difference