A program on campus has benefited the wallets of students and has offered free or extremely reduced textbook costs and class resources

The University of Oklahoma Libraries’ alternative textbook grant program has provided students free or reduced textbook costs and has saved students nearly two million dollars in costs.

Ashley Choate has been enrolled in a course that has benefitted from an alternative textbook grant in the fall 2018 semester and said it provided her with financial relief.

“In the past I haven’t bought a textbook just because of how outrageous the cost is. I have so many things to pay for and sometimes just couldn’t afford it,” Choate said.

The average cost of course materials is about $1,500 each school year. Nearly 67 percent of students have not purchased a textbook due to the cost.

Adam Croom, OU Director of Digital Learning, has been a recipient of an alternative textbook grant for an introductory course at Gaylord College.

“This is just one way we can lessen the burden,” Croom said.

Croom said textbook publishers have been aware of the financial and comprehensive issues students have faced when it comes to textbooks and said he would not be surprised if open textbooks will become increasingly popular in the future.

“We are starting to see textbook prices decrease. Publishers are starting to see there is a rising interest [in open textbook resources] and I wouldn’t be surprised if textbooks were put out free or cheaper,” Croom said.