2008 Woodie Awards
Texbooks: Are they history?
With prices on the rise, many universities are turning to the internet as a way to replace books
Amanda Morales
Issue date: 4/25/07Section: News
Printed textbooks may become a thing of the past as the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance gets ready to report its year-long findings on the rising cost of textbooks in America. In May, the committee, which serves as an independent source of advice and counsel to the U.S. Congress and the Secretary of Education for student financial aid policies, will introduce the government to the concept of Open Access-a movement that calls for all peer-reviewed scientific and scholarly literature to be placed on the internet for global use, free of charge.
The movement would remove all copyright and licensing restrictions, completely changing the publishing and distribution of textbooks in America. During next month's
meeting with Congress, the advisory committee will not only present the Open Access concept, but also the problem of rising textbook prices and how this affects a student's ability to afford postsecondary education. Congress will use these recommendations
to decide on a way to make textbooks more affordable for all students in the U.S.
Student Public Interest Research Group, an organization protesting the rising cost of textbooks, estimates that an average of $900 is spent on textbooks each year by students-a hefty amount for many who are already paying thousands of dollars on tuition and housing.
"It seems ridiculous to spend $50 or $100 on books that are only good one semester and are sometimes not even used completely," freshman Travis Welfle said. "I would rather just look for cheaper versions online or just borrow from someone during the semester."
His reasoning is one that has been echoed by other students, as well, who turn to websites like Half.com, varasitybooks.com, and swapbooks.com in search of cheaper prices. Many students are going as far as searching for free downloadable versions of their textbooks in an effort to avoid costs completely.
"My friend sent me the book through an email and I saved $30 during that semester," student Laura Kim said. "As a pharmacy student, I usually spend $200 to $250 on books and if I can find a way to avoid that, I usually try to."
The movement would remove all copyright and licensing restrictions, completely changing the publishing and distribution of textbooks in America. During next month's
meeting with Congress, the advisory committee will not only present the Open Access concept, but also the problem of rising textbook prices and how this affects a student's ability to afford postsecondary education. Congress will use these recommendations
to decide on a way to make textbooks more affordable for all students in the U.S.
Student Public Interest Research Group, an organization protesting the rising cost of textbooks, estimates that an average of $900 is spent on textbooks each year by students-a hefty amount for many who are already paying thousands of dollars on tuition and housing.
"It seems ridiculous to spend $50 or $100 on books that are only good one semester and are sometimes not even used completely," freshman Travis Welfle said. "I would rather just look for cheaper versions online or just borrow from someone during the semester."
His reasoning is one that has been echoed by other students, as well, who turn to websites like Half.com, varasitybooks.com, and swapbooks.com in search of cheaper prices. Many students are going as far as searching for free downloadable versions of their textbooks in an effort to avoid costs completely.
"My friend sent me the book through an email and I saved $30 during that semester," student Laura Kim said. "As a pharmacy student, I usually spend $200 to $250 on books and if I can find a way to avoid that, I usually try to."
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