CORRECTION APPENDED

In an effort to help students save money while fundraising for charity, two Harvard undergraduates have launched a website that allows students to compare book prices offered by a variety of sources.

The price comparison tool of CrimsonReading.org, founded by Magnus Grimeland ’07 and Tom Hadfield ’08, distinguishes it from other student-run book-buying sites. Students can click on a course title to view all required books and compare the prices—updated every 24 hours—from six sources: The Coop, Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Half.com, Abebooks, and Booksamillion.com.

CrimsonReading.org, which Hadfield said has already sold approximately $1,000 worth of books, also allows students to sell their own books and indicates whether books are available in Harvard libraries.

Big discounts tend to be offered on used books from Half.com, but used books from The Coop can be cheap too.

Currently, for example, the most expensive new book is “The Hotei Encyclopedia of Japanese Woodblock Prints,” required for Literature and Arts B-23. A new copy would cost $292.50 at The Coop. [SEE CORRECTION BELOW.] However, CrimsonReading.org says that a used version is available at The Coop for $219.50.

For all the books bought on CrimsonReading.org, sources (except The Coop) will donate a five to eight percent referral commission to a charity called Living Compassion, which will use the funds to build a school in Kantolomba, Zambia.

“Harvard students are tired of ‘get rich quick’ schemes and that’s why the profits go to charity,” Hadfield said.

Crimsonreading.org is modeled after Nuonlinebooks.com, which was launched by a Northwestern University student, Jonathan Webber.

Hadfield and Grimeland obtained course reading lists from the The Coop or directly from professors. But they would like the College to participate to ensure the site’s future success.

“We would like professors to get involved by uploading their book list information and hopefully recommending the website to their students,” Hadfield said.

Next week, Hadfield and Grimeland plan to make sourcebook articles accessible by linking their tables of contents to Harvard Library’s E-Resources.

Expository Writing and Freshman Seminars are currently the only two departments whose syllabi Hadfield and Grimeland are still working to obtain.

—Staff writer Emily J. Nelson can be reached at ejnelson@fas.harvard.edu

CORRECTION

Due to incorrect information from CrimsonReading.org, the Sept. 13 article "Thrifty Website Donates to Charity" erroneously stated that "The Hotei Encyclopedia of Japanese Woodblock Prints" is required for students in Literature and Arts B-23. In fact, the book -- which costs $292.50 at The Coop -- is recommended but not required for the course.