The rising cost of college textbooks has been a subject of heated debate for some time.

The Government Accountability Office has estimated that the average first-time student at a four-year public university spent $898 on textbooks and supplies during the 2003-04 academic year.

Since then, further studies show that the burden for students remains high.

A 2006 survey by the Illinois Board of Higher Education found that students at public universities spent, on average, between $735 and $891 annually, though that does not consider any money students receive from selling their books at the end of the semester.

Here are ways to cut the costs of your textbooks:

Talk to your professor.

Before classes start, send your professors an e-mail, encouraging them to consider the cost of books selected for the course or to opt for cheaper versions, such as black-and-white text only.

If the reading list isn't negotiable, ask for the syllabus as early as possible. That way you will have a better chance of obtaining used copies. You'll also have more time to order books online or find students on campus eager to unload last semester's books.

Or ask your professors whether an older edition of a book will suffice. It typically costs less because used copies are available.

Search far and wide online.

It's no mystery that you often can find new and used textbooks cheaper on sites such as Amazon.com, Half.com and Bigwords.com.

But you may snag an even better deal if you shop at overseas versions of these sites, such as Amazon.co.uk, where textbooks tend to be priced lower.

To be sure you receive the correct edition, shop by the International Standard Book Number, or ISBN, a 10-digit number you'll find inside each book.

Check out school programs.

Finally, some schools may keep copies of textbooks on reserve at the library or have textbook rental programs. Check if your school does.

Students who rent books spend an average of $300 per year, according to Student Public Interest Research Groups, about a third of the cost of buying books. The organization in 2003 started a nationwide campaign to lower textbook costs.

E-mail Carolyn Bigda at yourmoney@tribune.com.