The Student Association organized its spring book exchange last week as an alternative to the GW Bookstore.

The SA’s annual book exchange allows students to sell books to one another. For the first time, however, students were offered the service for both fall and the spring semesters this academic year.

“I bought one book at a much better deal than the bookstore,” freshman Stacy Lyons said.

Books both for introductory to advanced courses are swapped at the exchange. “Most of the time the book exchange has the book I want,” junior John Wu said.

The SA also provided students with a list of required books for all courses at the University. The list, bought through the GW Bookstore, cost the SA $750. This and other administrative costs were compensated for by taking one dollar for every book students priced higher than $5, said SA President Kuyomars “Q” Golparvar.

“This has been one of our most successful book exchanges,” Golparvar said. “In this exchange we had more than 1,000 students participate and more than 2,000 books.”

“Students saved a total of more than $24,000 this year alone,” said Daphne Stavropoulos, the SA’s book exchange director. Students saved $8,000 in the first ever fall book exchange, and more than $16,000 this spring.

The success of the two book exchanges this year means the SA will continue to offer it during future fall and spring semesters, Stavropoulos said.

“We began collecting books for the spring book exchange last semester during the week of finals, and we plan to collect books for the next exchange before students leave for summer vacation,” Golparvar said.

Marni Karlin, the SA vice president for academic affairs said, “Students who bought books or need to pick up money for books should contact the SA office no later than this week.”