It is the end of the semester and many CSM students have books they do not need anymore. Students want to get rid of them, but the books cost so much money that simply giving them away seems wasteful. There is always the bookstore on campus, but there are also alternative ways for students to exchange textbooks. Set up by two Mines student who needed something to do, the Colorado School of Mines Student Textbook Exchange (CSMSTEx.com) is one alternative to the bookstore and will assist any student with his or her needs.
CSMSTEx is set up like craigslist. Students can access the website to search for books they need or offer books for sale. Students can search by book title, author, version, department, and even condition. Students can also search by username in the Mines email address. To post offers, students enter their Mines email address and present an asking price. If a student finds a desired textbook, he or she can email the poster using his or her Mines email address and negotiate sales.
CSMSTEx was created by Tyrell Frame and Andrew French as a way for students to exchange textbooks without having to deal with the bookstore. As such, it is not affiliated with the Colorado School of Mines or the bookstore. French wanted to make a website one day, and Frame recommended a textbook exchange service after seeing flyers promoting textbooks for sale. Soon after, the duo started on the website in April 2012 and finished at the end of the summer. French created the website and Frame assisted. In addition, Frame pays for the server costs completely out of his own pocket to ensure that using the website is completely free.
CSMSTEx is not very well known yet, so the offerings are few. Nevertheless, it is a good place to get rid of unneeded textbooks and make a little money at the same time. Furthermore, once more people begin to use it, it is likely to become a great resource to find books for upcoming classes. CSMSTEx has its own Facebook page, so students who like the website can also like it on Facebook. The website is completely free, so students might want to check out CSMSTEx and look to fulfill their textbook needs.