Old University Text Books

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KenR
Posts: 1506
Joined: Fri Mar 17, 2006 6:12 pm
Location: Birmingham

Old University Text Books

Post by KenR »

We have finally decided to de-clutter my study. I have quite a few of my old Chemistry & Chemical Physics University Text Books from the 1970s but I'm struggling to know what to do with them. They were very expensive at the time. Many of them are still in print but with much later versions - they are so old they don't have an ISDN number!

I've looked at second hand books web sites but no interest.

The content of many of the books is still valid

I would have thought that in these times of austerity some 1st Year Chemistry or Chemical Physics students might be interested in free reference books - does anyone know if any student unions offer a free "hand your old books in" service?

We live near Birmingham
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: Old University Text Books

Post by Guest55 »

Students don't tend to buy texts these days - all the information is online on their 'moodle' or equivalent. You could e-mail local unis?

Would any local school like them? I've given some of my maths texts to a local school.
doodles
Posts: 8300
Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2009 9:19 pm

Re: Old University Text Books

Post by doodles »

Try local uni's KenR you have several in your area by the look of it. DS is at uni not a million miles away from you and he has a stack of text books issued by the uni.
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad !
Amber
Posts: 8058
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: Old University Text Books

Post by Amber »

A very quick google reveals this:
https://bookaid.org/support-us/donate-b ... s-we-need/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

An organisation sending text books to Sub Saharan Africa, though there are caveats about the age of some of them.
KenR
Posts: 1506
Joined: Fri Mar 17, 2006 6:12 pm
Location: Birmingham

Re: Old University Text Books

Post by KenR »

Guest55 wrote:Students don't tend to buy texts these days - all the information is online on their 'moodle' or equivalent. You could e-mail local unis?

Would any local school like them? I've given some of my maths texts to a local school.
I might try the local school for some of the Chemistry Books, although I think they might find my some of my Molecular Quantum Mechanics Books a bit challenging :)
Ally
Posts: 299
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2009 2:30 pm
Location: Hertfordshire

Re: Old University Text Books

Post by Ally »

I really hope that you find a good home for them. But once a text book is a couple of editions out of date, they are of little or no educational value.

My Dad a retired research chemist has a vast collection of text books from the 1950 onwards. My son a 2nd year Biochemist finds them fascinating but that’s on a more of a historical level.

I’ve previously worked is a charity shop, which would regularly sort out its collection of out of date text book and they end up in book scrap/recycling.
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