1. Alternative$ to the
High Co$t of College Textbook$
Prepared by Jennifer Little
Morehead State University

2. Textbooks Cost too Much
• Textbook prices have tripled over the last 20
year, faster than college tuition prices which
have also increased faster than the rate of
inflation (U.S. G.A.O., 1)
• Create an unnecessary burden on students

3. Why do Traditional (Expensive)Textbook
Publishers Remain Popular?
• Authoritative and highly polished
• Offer Supplementary materials
– Assessments
– Workbooks
– Presentation slides
• Large sales force peddles books to professors
• Integrates with BlackBoard

4. Federal Initiatives to Lower Costs
Government Accountability Office
U.S. G.A.O., 2005.

5. Federal Initiatives to Lower Costs
Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance
This 2007 report
appealed to colleges to
lower the price of
textbooks.

6. Federal Initiatives to Lower Costs
Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008
Textbook information must be
disclosed when student registers for
course.
Section 112
Colleges are encouraged to provide
students information regarding—
‘‘(1) available institutional programs
for renting textbooks
or for purchasing used textbooks;
‘‘(2) available institutional guaranteed
textbook buy-back
programs;
‘‘(3) available institutional alternative
content delivery programs;
or
‘‘(4) other available institutional cost-
saving strategies.

7. Student Initiatives to Lower Costs
Student Public Interest Research Group – Make Textbooks Affordable Campaign

8. State Initiatives to Lower Costs
California – The Board of Governors of the California
Community College system works with faculty senates to use
less costly textbooks
Kentucky – KY Community Colleges are members of the
Community College Consortium for Open Educational
Resources. In 2009 Kentucky established the Kentucky
Learning Depot, a repository for Kentucky online learning
materials.
Ohio – Ohio Digital Bookshelf Project is a pilot project that
aims to provide quality textbook options for faculty and
better learning outcomes, while also saving students money

9. Innovative Professors Can…
Write & Publish Textbooks Online
Example:

10. Innovative Professors Can…
Use an Open Access Textbook
Open Access Textbook Sites:
Connexions - Materials are easily downloadable to almost any mobile device for use
anywhere, anytime. Schools can also order low cost hard copy sets of the materials
(textbooks).
College Open Textbooks - provides training for instructors adopting open resources, peer
reviews of open textbooks, and mentoring online professional networks that provide
support to authors who open their resources.
Flat World Knowledge - the world's largest publisher of free and open college textbooks.
WikiBooks - the open-content textbooks collection that anyone can edit.

11. Innovative Professors Can Save
Student Costs by…
Using Traditional University Resources:
•Link to library material (journal articles and e-
books) through Blackboard
•Place textbook or course articles on Library
Reserves system
•Provide course packs through the University
Bookstore

12. Thrifty $tudent$ Can…
Rent Textbooks - Available from websites such as
Chegg.com, e-Campus.com, or Textbooks.com
Share a textbook with classmate(s)
Buy Used
Sell Textbooks Back

13. View the Resources List and
“Textbook Alternatives”
Guide for Additional Resources