Making Textbooks Affordable for the
University System of Ohio
Student Success Assessment Summit, 23-Jun-2009, Columbus, OH
Peter Murray, Assistant Director for New Service Development, OhioLINK
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8 percent for 4-year private institutions.
Annual Percentage Increase in College Textbook Prices, College Tuition and Fees, and
Overall Price Inflation, December 1986 to December 2004
While many factors affect textbook pricing, the increasing costs associated
College Textbooks: Enhanced Offerings Appear to Drive Recent Price Increases. Washington, DC: US Government Accountability Office.
441 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20548. Tel: 202-512-6000; Web site: http://www.gao/gov, 2005

Figure 1: The Typical Life Cycle of a College Textbook
Development Distribution Purchase
Publishers produce Bookstores stock new and Students purchase and use books,
textbooks and market them used textbooks then decide whether to keep or sell them
to instructors, who choose
and assign textbooks
· Student pays retail
price for new, or 75%
Student keeps book,
of the new retail price
gets no money back
for used, if available
Bookstores
Students Student trades/sells
Instructor reorders
book book to friend or
online buyer, may
Instructors
· Bookstore buys used
books from
· Bookstore buys used
book
get some money
back
wholesalers for 50%
of new retail price · Student gets 50% of
new retail price
Instructor does not
reorder book
· Wholesaler buys used
book
New edition released
or no buyback
· Studentretail price35%
of new
gets 5 to possible, student
gets no money back
Publishers Wholesaler Bookstore buyback
Source: GAO analysis (presentation). Art Explosion and Clipart.com (images).
College Textbooks: Enhanced Offerings Appear to Drive Recent Price Increases. Washington, DC: US Government Accountability Office.
441 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20548. Tel: Publishers develop and produce textbooks and accompanying materials
202-512-6000; Web site: http://www.gao/gov, 2005

“Textbook Buyback Tent” by Peter Murray

p le
c i
r in
P
Student
Centered
“Students Studying by the lakes” by kcowell

p le
c i
r in
P Cultural and
Systemic
Transformation
“transformation..” by Sir Mervs

p le
c i
r in
P Quality of
Learning
Outcomes
“[untitled]” by K. Sawyer

p le
c i
r in
P
Academic
Freedom
“New York's Liberty Island - Statue Of Liberty & Seagull” by David Paul Ohmer

p le
c i
r in
P
Bookstores and
Revenue
“Money!” by Tracy O

p le
c i
r in
P
Accessibility
“Access for skinny wheelchairs only” by Richard Drdul

g y
a te
S tr
Heighten Awareness of
Textbook Costs
“Alicia Martin: Biografias - Cascade of books” by library_mistress

g y
a te
S tr
Open Educational Resources
“Give us this day...” by Mr. Kris

g y
a te
S tr
Volume Pricing Discounts
“How to spend less without being miserable” by Leo Reynolds

g y
a te
S tr
Modularized Content Purchasing
“Pablo's cubism period began at three” by woodleywonderworks

CourseSmart Trials and
Promotion

CourseSmart Trials and
Promotion

CourseSmart Trials and
Promotion
• Existing savings of approx.
50% of New List Price
(http://textbooks.uso.edu/)

CourseSmart Trials and
Promotion
• Existing savings of approx.
50% of New List Price
(http://textbooks.uso.edu/)
• Seeking High Enrollment
Courses for Testing
Discounts of Up to 65% off
New List Price

CourseSmart Trials and
Promotion
• Existing savings of approx.
50% of New List Price
(http://textbooks.uso.edu/)
• Seeking High Enrollment
Courses for Testing
Discounts of Up to 65% off
New List Price
• Contact Steve Acker
(acker.1@osu.edu) or
Peter Murray to participate

Investigate and Use Open
Educational Resources

Investigate and Use Open
Educational Resources

Investigate and Use Open
Educational Resources
• Create Inventory of
Resources and Align
Resources With Regents’
TAG Communities

Investigate and Use Open
Educational Resources
• Create Inventory of
Resources and Align
Resources With Regents’
TAG Communities
• Faculty Innovator
Awards to Apply
Resources to Courses

Investigate and Use Open
Educational Resources
• Create Inventory of
Resources and Align
Resources With Regents’
TAG Communities
• Faculty Innovator
Awards to Apply
Resources to Courses
• Watch http://uso.edu/
opportunities/textbooks/
innovatorGrants.php

Textbook Affordability
Grants

Textbook Affordability
Grants

Textbook Affordability
Grants
• Development of Open
Educational Resources

Textbook Affordability
Grants
• Development of Open
Educational Resources
• Targeting High
Enrollment Courses

Textbook Affordability
Grants
• Development of Open
Educational Resources
• Targeting High
Enrollment Courses
• Watch http://uso.edu/
opportunities/textbooks/
innovatorGrants.php

For
More
Information
Peter Murray,
peter@OhioLINK.edu
http://dltj.org/article/ssas-2009/