The original version of this guide was created by Kate Pittsley-Sousa at Eastern Michigan University. Your local library may have made improvements or altered the guide to serve your institutution.
Reducing the cost of course materials helps ensure the opportunity for all students to succeed and allows them to have access to course materials on the first day of class or earlier. The IU Southeast Library encourages all instructors to adopt low or no cost course materials for their classes.
If you have questions or want to talk with a librarian about using, modifying, or creating an open educational resource (OER) or want to know if we can provide access to your required readings to your students, email Kate Ziady at kabmoore@iu.edu.
Sometimes a traditional text is still your best option. In that case, you can still take a few steps to help with the cost issue.
1. Inform students of viable alternatives
Is your text available online for free through the Library? Did you place a copy of the physical book on reserve in the Library? Is it available online in a cheaper electronic form, such as on the RedShelf or VitalSource platform? Will a previous edition work for your course? Informing students of options can help them to save money, or to obtain the book when the bookstores are out-of-stock.
2. Consider using IU eTexts
The IU eText program offers first day of class access in Canvas and students can use their financial aid to cover the (usually discounted) cost.
3. Submit your required readings as early as possible
There is high demand for used texts across the country. The earlier the bookstore can place orders, the more likely they will be able to obtain used copies for your students.
4. Avoid assigning custom texts and code packaged textbooks
Custom texts may be cheaper than the new hardcover edition of the standard text, but custom editions usually cost more than a used copy of the standard text. Students often can’t resell custom editions after the course (money they often need to buy the next semester’s texts).
Code packaged texts can make it difficult for students to save money with a used text. Although publishers are required by federal law to sell the codes separately; in practice they don’t always provide this option to students or sometimes charge exorbitant prices for the codes. By law publishers must inform instructors of the code cost. If you assign code-required options, ask for price and availability of the access code before you adopt a text.
5. Check the bookstore's website to see the price listed for your text
Publishers sometimes quote faculty the wholesale price at adoption, but then copies in stock at the bookstore have higher prices. Some faculty have questioned this and gotten price reductions for students.
6. Give students time to obtain the text
Some professors assign an online article from the library or other free reading during the first week and wait till the 2nd week to use the text.
7. Let students know about tax credits for course material expenses
Course text expenses may qualify for a tax credit. The IRS website has a tool designed to determine if your education expenses qualify for a tax benefit.
8. If you author a textbook:
Find a publisher that sells books at reasonable prices. Or, consider publishing an open textbook. Some of the publishers or open text projects described in this guide may be a good match. You might also consider publishing through Pressbooks, which is a tool that enables IU faculty and students to create and publish text in multiple formats. See
9. Consider placing a copy of your text on Reserve at your library.
This provides an option for low-income students. It also helps when the bookstore runs out of copies.
Reserves Tips:
1) Place your Reserves request early. If you wait till classes begin, staff are less likely to be successful in putting the book on reserve in a timely fashion.
2) If the library doesn't own the book, we can also place your personal copy on Reserves.
More information about reserves is available on our Course Reserves page.
