By Sarah Sell, University Communications and Marketing
A project designed to address textbook affordability by lowering course material costs and improving accessibility at USF St. Petersburg has saved students more than $2.4 million over the past eight years.
Launched by USF Libraries as a pilot project in 2009 and officially recognized in 2016, the Textbook Affordability Project (TAP) addresses the escalating costs of textbooks and educational materials. The project has resulted in a growing collection of resources, including reserved textbooks, e-books and online journal articles accessible to all students.
Spearheaded by staff at the Nelson Poynter Memorial Library (NPML), the textbook affordability project on the St. Petersburg campus seeks to reduce costs for students by:
- Expanding textbooks in the library's reserve collection,
- Generating awareness around the availability of e-books and other open educational resources as alternatives to traditional textbooks, and
- Collaborating with faculty to find and incorporate affordable course material options that sustain academic rigor.
"Providing a top-notch education at limited costs is a vital part of our academic mission. I am thrilled that our library is doing its part to save our student body millions while ensuring access to critical resources for students to achieve their goals," said USF St. Petersburg Regional Chancellor Christian Hardigree.
In 2022, results of an extensive survey of Florida students, including many from USF, indicates there has been improvement, but most continue to struggle with the cost of textbooks and other course materials. More than 13,000 students participated in the Student Textbook and Course Materials Survey conducted by the Florida Virtual Campus (FLVC). Among respondents, 54% said the high price of textbooks prevented them from purchasing required materials. Additionally, 44% reported taking fewer courses, 32% felt they earned lower grades and 24% dropped a course due to the cost of textbooks.
TAP addresses these challenges by providing a variety of proactive solutions aimed at reducing the burden of textbook costs.
"TAP is just one of many ways the USF Libraries seek to support student success and retention efforts,” said Kristina Keogh, dean of NPML. "With rising costs, it is important for academic libraries to continue to work to alleviate our students' financial burdens wherever possible. I am proud of the legacy of this work at NPML and that our staff continues to prioritize and grow these efforts."
Cost savings have increased in recent years. During the project's first five years, the savings for students on the St. Petersburg campus was $1.08 million. It has increased by $1.36 million over the last three years. Additionally, the cost of course materials per credit hour has been reduced over time from around $44 in 2016 to $21 in 2024.
Since its launch in 2009, the project has saved USF students nearly $44 million across all campuses.
"TAP has been a vital advocate for addressing the challenges of rising textbook costs," said Alex Neff, TAP program director for USF Libraries.
In addition to savings, the project has dramatically increased educational resources available. Prior to TAP, there were only 20 textbooks in the reserve collection at NPML that students could check out for three hours at a time. Now, there are anywhere from 200 to 250 books depending on the semester.
This dramatic rise was accomplished through an initial $3,500 grant from Town & Gown, an organization that promotes understanding between the St. Petersburg campus and the community. Additional funds were provided by USF Libraries to acquire even more textbooks. Some faculty members donated extra copies, and several students even contributed their textbooks rather than sell them back once they completed a class.
When the project began, a series of faculty workshops were offered to reduce textbook costs by providing strategies to acquire available resources. About 20 faculty members took part in discussions ranging from copyright and fair use to electronic textbooks and licensed content – all with the purpose of helping them rethink their courses and content.
Since then, library staff have worked individually with faculty members to raise awareness of alternative teaching content the campus has access to and work to revamp course material by incorporating greater open education resources.
"Our librarians review the course syllabus and then investigate affordable materials with faculty that will cover the appropriate content they want to convey in the classroom, ensure it is as high quality as possible and reduce costly fees for students," said Kaya van Beynen, the associate dean of research & instruction for USF Libraries.