Open Textbook Catalog

Have you ever bought the 4^th edition of a textbook because the 5^th edition was $50 more expensive? Depending on the book, publishers renew the edition yearly. Most of the time only extremely minor changes have been made, but professors still require the latest version. For years I have wondered why textbooks cost so much and if there was anything that could be done about it. In an effort to reduce the cost of textbooks, the University of Minnesota has begun opening itself up to open source textbooks. The idea being that the classic algebra one book is just that: classic. Algebra one has been the same for years. Open source allows instructors to edit or add content to fit their individual needs. This article explains that the U will solicit reviews of college level high-volume introductory classes such as math and biology. These text books will be scrutinized and those that pass will be added to a creative commons type area for professors to utilize. The official press release goes on to state that,

“The University of Minnesota should be a leader in enabling faculty and students to benefit from open content and electronic textbook options,” -Provost Karen Hanson.

Also, according to the press release is the scary statistic that students will spend an average $1168 on course materials this school year. Truthfully, the prices of textbooks have often caused me some dizzying sticker shock. How unfortunate that this gets fired up right about the time I’m graduating. Let’s see what we can do about getting Metro State to jump on the bandwagon!