Associated Students of Madison’s Academic Affairs committee formally announced Thursday plans for two textbook swaps in the upcoming semester.

“The swaps will be one-day events, taking place at the beginning of the spring semester,” said Jessica Pavlic, academic affairs chair for ASM. “For years now students — not only at UW-Madison, but those statewide — have expressed strong concern about the rising costs of textbooks."

Pavlic said the events will present an opportunity to be economically efficient with already tight budgets.

"We believe the textbook swap is a small step toward alleviating some of those frustrations by eliminating the middle man,” Pavlic said.

MJ Kwon, an intern with ASM, said University Bookstore and Underground Textbook  Exchange — where most students purchase their textbooks — are owned by the same company so there isn’t room for competition in the textbook market.

The swaps will be co-hosted by Chadbourne Residence Hall and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and any student who would like to exchange or purchase a book is welcome to attend, Pavlic said.

In a statement read by Pavlic, Otto Kraus, student issues committee chair for CALS Student Council said as a senior, he has spent hundreds of dollars on books over the years, and that he knows "that any way to save money as a student it worthwhile.”

Kraus said the all the feedback for the program has been “hugely enthusiastic.”

Chris Tiernan, a member of Chadbourne Resident Hall Student Council, said Chadbourne has tried to implement a book swap in the past but it was never very successful.

“Due to logistics and the lack of one-on-one personal contact not many people participated,” Tiernan said.

On the day of the swap, students would bring books to sell, members of ASM and the participating organizations would organize the books and then students wishing to purchase books would be let in, Pavlic said.

Pavlic said Polygon, an engineering student organization, administers a similar swap every semester.

"Ours is based off their model, but just on a campuswide arena," Pavlic said.

The swap will take place in the first week of spring semester, so students hoping to sell their books at the swap should hang onto them until them, Pavlic said.

“Students will be able to set their own price for their textbooks, but we will be suggesting they price them at 60 percent of retail price,” Pavlic said, adding, “the bookstore charges 90 percent of the retail price.”

Once the swap is over, the students whose books were purchased will be able to come and pick up their money, and there is no charge for participating in the swap, Pavlic said. 

Pavlic added if a student does not pick up their money or their unsold book, CALS and Chadbourne will keep the profits, Pavlic said.

Tiernan said the Chadbourne swap will be marketed more toward underclassman taking general education courses.