MSU Grad Works To Make Textbooks More Affordable

DETROIT (WWJ) As if college costs aren't high enough, parents and students know there's yet another financial hurdle: the cost of books.

Darin Gross, a 22-year-old entrepreneur who recently graduated from Michigan State University, is working on that problem. He has a new project meant to make it more affordable for local sons and daughters to buy textbooks at three Michigan universities by letting them buy and sell directly.

It all started when Gross bought a book for a class, paying $100 for a tome that he later learned had been sold to the bookstore by his best friend -- for $25.

"He could have made more money, I could have saved a lot more money," Gross said.

Booklify was born.

Gross and a friend came up with the idea to connect students to buy and sell textbooks directly to each other, and started the company Booklify. The site even lets you create a book wish list and send a text alert when your book is in.

Gross said students can save as much as 30 percent buying books this way. And he said the word is slowly starting to spread -- Central and Western Michigan University have started using booklify.

"On average students are taking four to five classes per semester so if you're saving 20 to 30 percent per textbook that adds up to a lot of money," Gross said. 

To buy or sell a book, go to www.booklify.com.