The role of business agreements in defining textbook affordability and digital materials: A document analysis

John Raible,Aimee Denoyelles

doi:10.18870/hlrc.v5i4.284

John Raible, Aimee Denoyelles

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.18870/hlrc.v5i4.284

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Abstract

Adopting digital materials such as eTextbooks and e-coursepacks is a potential strategy to address textbook affordability in the United States. However, university business relationships with bookstore vendors implicitly structure which instructional resources are available and in what manner. In this study, a document analysis was conducted on the bookstore contracts for the universities included in the State University System of Florida. Namely, issues of textbook affordability, digital material terminology and seller exclusivity were investigated. It was found that textbook affordability was generally conceived in terms of print rental textbooks and buyback programs, and that eTextbooks were priced higher than print textbooks (25% to 30% markup). Implications and recommendations for change are shared.DOI: 10.18870/hlrc.v5i4.284

Highlights

The rising cost of higher education in the United States is a controversial topic primarily focused around tuition, housing, and the amount of graduate debt
It was found that textbook affordability was generally conceived in terms of print rental textbooks and buyback programs, and that eTextbooks were priced higher than print textbooks (25% to 30% markup)
Textbook affordability is an important topic in American higher education

Summary

Introduction

The rising cost of higher education in the United States is a controversial topic primarily focused around tuition, housing, and the amount of graduate debt. In 2015, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported student loans rank second, behind only mortgages, in the amount of personal debt at 1.19 trillion dollars. This amount has increased 78 billion dollars from 2014. The Affordable College Textbook Bill was introduced to Congress in October 2015. This bill seeks to provide federal support to create and maintain open higher education textbooks (Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition, 2015)

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