Legislators And Booksellers Aim To Cut Textbook Costs

Legislators And Booksellers Aim To Cut Textbook Costs
Legislators and Booksellers Aim to Cut Textbook Costs

Compiled By CityTownInfo.com Staff
January 15, 2010

Legislators and booksellers are moving forward with electronic textbooks and textbook rental programs in an effort to reduce expenses for college students.

In California, a new law was passed this week which will require companies that sell textbooks to California colleges and universities to offer electronic versions by 2020. The law, Senate Bill 48, was authored by state Sen. Elaine Alquist, with the goal of significantly reducing textbook costs for students, which can often be as high as $1,000 per year.

James Schwab, a legislative aide to Alquist, told The Chronicle of Higher Education that the new law would also encourage the use of technology in the classroom, thereby giving students better marketable skills. He added that it would help generate more student interest in science, engineering and math.

"Students these days, and kids growing up, will be used to--and even prefer--reading stuff in an electronic format," said Schwab in the Chronicle.

Bruce Hildebrand, executive director of the Association of American Publishers, noted in the Ventura County Star that publishers should have no trouble complying with the law's deadline.