Published Feb 5, 2010
If you've noticed any black tape on one of your textbooks, chances are it's the result of a deal between a faculty member at any university nationwide and an independent book buyer.
The results of these deals, publishers said, drive up the cost of textbooks, but they said there is nothing they can do to stop faculty members selling the books.
The black tape covers labels that identify the books as instructor copies, which are sent to professors free of charge, noting that they are not to be resold.