Provide textbook information to students as early as possible to allow them time to comparison shop. Include in the course syllabus a statement of the book costs in the bookstore or online. Describe the books and indicate which, if any, might be appropriate for students to share. Ask textbook company sales representatives for price information. Make it clear that price is an important consideration for you.Submit textbook orders to the bookstore well in advance. When possible, place textbook orders before the bookstore’s book buyback. Placing orders before the bookstore’s scheduled shipment also lowers costs.If supplemental material is sold with the textbook (a practice commonly called bundling), make sure all parts of the bundle are used for the course. If all pieces are not needed, work with the bookstore to order only what is needed.Avoid requiring any book that is not going to be used in its entirety. Reconsider requiring supplemental materials such as course packets, which often have steep costs.Evaluate new editions carefully before adopting them to be sure that changes are significant.If your field generally builds a course around a single textbook, identify multiple acceptable textbooks and ask the bookstore to invite bids from publishers for reduced prices. Select the least expensive.Consider using high quality, newly published and reasonably priced paperback trade books from the field, rather than textbooks. Compensate by devoting more class time to the overview content a textbook would provide.
| When possible, consider using electronic library access to recent scholarly journals to make the course content more current and reduce book costs. Libraries typically have electronic subscriptions that make materials available at no cost.When practical, allow multiple editions to be used for a course. Faculty may need to make adjustments in reading and homework assignments to accommodate multiple editions.Work with the bookstore early to learn about potential textbook changes so it can order adequate supplies of books and try to get as many used books as possible.Participate in the campus bookstore advisory committee.Explain to students why specific textbooks are chosen for each class. Discuss how the text fits within the course.Obtain feedback from students at the end of the course on how the required material aided their learning.Consider putting copies of books (particularly recommended titles) as well as supplemental materials on reserve in the campus library. When possible, faculty at one institution in collaboration with other institutions can create their own learning supplements or make them available online to their students to eliminate textbooks for that class. |
