Re "Group protests rising price of college texts," April 8: As a graduate student at, and alumna of, CSU, Sacramento, I have seen prices rise every year. But I blame university bookstores.

My experience is that the Sacramento State bookstore pays less than a quarter of the original cost. It is not uncommon to receive $16 for a text that was never opened but bought new for $98. I saw one student try to sell back an unopened bundle that had cost more than $120, only to be offered $34 for it. There is also a problem when someone must pay $2.95 for the same spiral notebook they can buy at OfficeMax for $1.50.

The gouging is committed by university bookstores that seem to think that rising publishing costs mean they can increase their prices exponentially. At the same time, tuition is going up past the point that is affordable for a growing number of students who, for various reasons, do not qualify for financial aid.

- Diane M. Davis, Sacramento