A Report on the Feasibility of Textbook Rental - IBHE

From: Brad O'Brien [mailto:bobrien@spoonrivercollege.edu]Sent: Friday, January 05, 2007 8:33 AMTo: Karen AndersonSubject: Comments regarding Draft <strong>Report</strong>/Study of the Feasibility of Testbook Rental ProgramsThere is a lot of talk of providing complimentary copies of a text to the library. If this is done I think thecost should be absorbed by the publisher each time a new edition comes out.* Faculty need to be informed that they should make more texts optional if they don't plan to use it much.The perception of price gouging in the bookstore is furthered by students having to purchase textbooksthat aren't used or used seldomly in the classroom.* We had an instructor adopt a text from www.freeloadpress.com. We purchased 10 books from them to sellin the bookstore at likely a 70% savings over what we would have paid the publisher. This book was blackand white and no bells and whistles. I suggest requiring publishers to make that same type of bookavailable for each title they sell. I know it would be print on demand but it would sure keep the pricesdown.* Publishers need to provide access codes at affordable prices instead of the exorbidant prices theycharge now.* Page 32 of the report discusses lost revenue from the bookstore in a rental situation. It mentions thatcolleges will be forced to look other places to make up that revenue. Colleges are not going to look forother places. They are strapped already and they are going to take the easier route of making cuts. Thisis never mentioned as a possibility but I believe it to be a very real one. The result of cuts will only hurt thestudent.* Finally, the report mentions that there is a gap in student aid. It mentions that Pell awards etc. are nothigh enough. I believe that instead of that being so much the problem, the gap is in eligibility. The middleincome students are the ones that are falling in a gap. Their EFC (Expected Family Contribution) is set ata certain rate and that prevents them from getting aid. The formula does not take into account otherobligations that the household may have that make the EFC impossible to provide. Again, it is the studentthat suffers from this.Thank you for your consideration,BradBrad O'BrienDirector of Purchasing & Auxiliary ServicesSpoon River College23235 North County Road 22Canton, IL 61520309-649-6294bobrien@spoonrivercollege.eduwww.SpoonRiverCollege.eduCaring - Respect - Integrity - Fairness - Responsibility-119-