Christopher Haskins, 21, earned three scholarships last academic year and had to work. That still wasn’t enough to cover the cost of his college books.

“My scholarship covered only $150 for books,” said Haskins, who is majoring in English at Coppin State. “My books cost twice as much as that. I had to drop classes. I got my math book too late and couldn’t keep up.”

The school’s library didn’t help much either.

“The English books I needed can’t be checked out,” he said. “And when I had homework, most of the time those books were already taken out. It happened so many times.”

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Haskins is not alone.

The rising cost of college textbooks has jumped at twice the rate of inflation in the past two decades, according to the National Association of College Stores.

“The skyrocketing cost of textbooks is the main concern of many students and their parents,” said Anne Arundel and Prince George’s Sen. Jim Rosapepe, who this year co-sponsored the Textbook Competition and Affordability Act of 2008. “We passed this legislation because of the lack of competition [for college textbooks],” he said. “The biggest provision was to increase competition by disclosing the ISBN [International Standard Book Numbers] of the books. The earlier the information is available, students have time to buy and sell books elsewhere.”

Students reported purchasing only 24 percent of required course material online, according to NACS.

“Students should buy and sell books from each other,” said Louis Verde, a regional manager for the online bookstore BookHolders.

Rosapepe blamed publishers for pushing new editions every year.

“Shakespeare in 2008 is not very different from Shakespeare in 2003,” he said. “Obviously, people are going into business and they want to maximize their interest. The state needs to be on the side of the students.”

Haskins recalled his textbook struggle last semester.

“You know, everybody is telling you that education is the key for a better life,” he said. “But, how can you have a better life when the price of education is so discouraging?”

ana.sebescen@baltimoreexaminer.com