By Andy Dahn
BLOOMINGTON – A recent study found that the average college student spends over $1000 on textbooks every year. Senator Dick Durbin said The Affordable College Textbook Act would lower those costs by giving students more open and free online textbooks through the use of grants.
Durbin said the textbook industry must adapt to new technologies.
“Here’s what it boils down to,” said Durbin. “We live in an age of ordering books online at deep discount. We live in an age of access to internet where students wouldn’t be caught without their laptop. We have to really understand that the traditional textbook market is changing.”
Durbin said the act will put more money back in the pockets of students and their families.
“Greater access to these open textbooks will save students hundreds of dollars,” Durbin said. “They’ll also put pressure on traditional college textbook markets to open up and be affordable.”
The positive impact of this system is something Durbin said he has already seen in Illinois.
“The University of Illinois used a $150,000 grant of federal money to try an open textbook project,” said Durbin. “They created a textbook about substantiality, which was published electronically for free and open use. You can go online today and find it.”
Durbin said the textbook received overwhelmingly positive reviews. This isn’t the first time Durbin has introduced similar legislation. The Senator pushed an act just like this in 2013 that was not successful.
Andy Dahn can be reached at [email protected].
