Freeing the textbook: Open Education Resources - Melissa Fraser, USM Free Press

Students are budgeting an average of $1,200 a year on textbooks and supplies, according to the USM website. While it has been well documented that students are finding alternatives, such as renting or buying used, surveys show that the cost is a deterrent. A survey conducted by Wakefield Research, on behalf of VitalSource Technologies, revealed that 85 percent of students either avoid purchasing course materials or delay purchasing until after the first day of class. Almost all of the students surveyed said that this was due to cost, and half of those said that this decision had a negative impact on their grades. Findings show that the cost of USM textbooks has risen 800 percent over the last eight years, according to the USM OER website. This prompted Bill Grubb, USM Libraries coordinator, to explore alternatives. http://usmfreepress.org/2019/02/04/freeing-the-textbook-open-education-resources/