Bookstore Buyback Policy

Textbook buyback is a bookstore-sponsored event that takes place throughout the term in an effort to recycle titles that will be used in the future. Buyback is a triple-win situation where current students get cash for selling their books, bookstores get in-demand used titles to put on their shelves, and future students are offered money-saving used editions next term. Buying and selling used books benefits everyone involved by cutting costs and reducing the environmental strain of additional textbook printing.


What determines which books are being bought back and how much cash you'll receive for them?


  • Whether or not the book is being used next term
  • The condition of the book (The purchaser has the right to refuse purchase based on the condition of the book)
  • Whether or not there is a new edition of the book
  • Course enrollment numbers for next term
  • Whether or not the book has all of its pieces (CDs, kits, etc., if applicable) - Missing items may mean less money
  • VGCC Bookstore does buy loose leaf textbooks if the book is being used next semester. It will need to be in a binder.

Vance-Granville has implemented a program to reward students who purchase their textbooks from the college bookstore. The guidelines for this reward program are as follows:

  • The student will receive 50% of the original purchase price if 1) the student has the original receipt, and 2) the textbook is being purchased by the bookstore for use the next term.
  • The student will receive 25% of the original purchase price if the student does not have the original receipt, but the textbook is being purchased by the bookstore
  • The book company determines their own price for the textbooks they purchase, which generally ranges from 10 to 25 percent of the originlal book price.  VGCC has no control over the prices being offered by the book company.

There is usually scheduled a beginning of term buy, a mid-term buy, and an end of term buy to accommodate our students. The bookstore purchases for the next term only during the end of term buyback. Any other buys will be for the textbook company only.

The VGCC Bookstore makes every effort to get you the highest possible price for your Used Books. Buyback operates on a first-come, first served basis. The bookstore buys back a predetermined quantity of titles that are being used for the upcoming semester. When the bookstore limit is reached, the 25% price will be offered if available.

Workbooks, study guides, lab manuals, spiral-bound books, books with tear-out pages, books with excessive writing or highlighting, books with floppy disks, missing or badly damaged covers, broken spines or missing pages are generally NOT bought back by the bookstore

Remember: Textbook buyback is ever changing and the bookstore does not know until the scheduled buyback dates which titles and how many will be purchased. Buyback information for individual textbooks will not be provided by phone. All textbooks must be brought to a campus and scanned by the buyer to determine buyback.


View the current VGCC buyback dates.