Does your college have an outing club? Does your community have a hiking club? These are good places to gain experience, borrow or rent gear, etc. Before you invest in any gear, borrowing or renting are a good idea, to gain experience with different types. A lot of our gear items are a choice based on individual preferences, so becoming acquainted with a variety of each item before you buy is a good idea.

The problem with a lot of the old woodcraft books, fascinating as they are, that they focus on techniques which are often either illegal or at least considered immoral (although not fattening, lol!) in today's society--such things as cutting green wood, making bough beds, chopping down snags for firewood, etc. These were fine in the days of unlimited forests and few people, but not now when Leave No Trace has to rule if we are to have any wild lands to leave to future generations.

For some beginner books to look at that have been recommended on this forum recently, go to the "Backcountry Book" section of this forum. Look for the thread started by mi77915 titled "New to Backpacking--Book Recommendations." Right now it's the 11th thread down. As noted in the thread, there's always interlibrary loan for those not in your library.

Another recommendation: Classic on map and compass navigation.

Another favorite, on an important if embarrassing topic

Feel free to come back with more specific questions after you've read a bit!