[A2k] NYT editorial on textbook price disclosure, openly licensed books

[Manon Ress]

--
[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
Thank you Dave,
Really good a2k news.
I urge people to read the entire editorial, get more information via
the links you provide and get this great example of "consortium of
writers" around:

quote:
The law is an important first step. But to really drive down costs,
colleges and universities around the country will need to embrace
creative solutions, like the one on display at the online Connexions
system at Rice University.

That content, already in use for several courses at Rice and at other
colleges and universities, is generated by a consortium of writers.
Online use is free. And a 300-page hardcover electrical-engineering
textbook can be printed out for about $25 =97 roughly one-fifth the
cost of a book from a conventional publisher. Other universities
should follow Rice=92s creative lead. Students can use all the help
they can get.
end of quote

Manon

On May 1, 2007, at 1:24 PM, Dave Rosenfeld wrote:

> This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
> --
> [ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
> Hello all:
>
>
>
> A well done New
> <http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/01/opinion/01tue3.html?
> ex=3D1178683200&en=3De942
> 5beaf52bd341&ei=3D5070&emc=3Deta1>  York Times editorial today on textboo=
k
> disclosure laws and creative commons licensed books (also pasted
> below).
> Commends Washington State for passing the disclosure law (requiring
> publishers to tell professors the price of the book during the sales
> conversation), and correctly points out the limits of only legislative
> solutions and encourages universities to follow the lead of Rice
> University
> and others in getting new models of publishing out there to compete
> with
> traditional publishers.
>
>
>
> This is a good one to share with any university officials, policy
> makers,
> and others you are working with.
>
>
>
> Here's some links if you are interested in learning more about
> Connexions
> <http://cnx.org/> , Rice University Press
> <http://ricepress.rice.edu/index.html>  and California State
> University
> <http://www.merlot.org/merlot/index.htm> 's respective programs.
> Let me
> know if you want more information.
>
>
>
> Dave Rosenfeld
>
>
>
> **********************
>
> David Rosenfeld
>
> National Program Director
>
> The Student PIRGs
>
> daver@studentpirgs.org
>
> o. 503.231.4181 x311
>
> c. 310.210.8410
>
> www.StudentPIRGs.org
>
>
>
>
>
> http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/01/opinion/01tue3.html?ex=3D1178683200
> <http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/01/opinion/01tue3.html?
> ex=3D1178683200&en=3De942
> 5beaf52bd341&ei=3D5070&emc=3Deta1> &en=3De9425beaf52bd341&ei=3D5070&emc=
=3Deta1
>
>   _____
>
> May 1, 2007
>
> Editorial
>
>
> Help, by the Book
>
>
> The State of Washington is looking out for students and their
> families by
> passing a law requiring textbook companies to disclose prices and
> other
> relevant information when they market books to college professors
> in the
> state. Lawmakers hope that professors who learn the costs upfront
> will opt
> for reasonably priced textbooks that cash-strapped students can
> afford.
>
> This law, along with similar measures pending in several other
> states, is a
> response to intense lobbying by student groups, who have complained
> for
> years about the bankrupting cost of college textbooks. A 2005 study
> by the
> Government Accountability Office found that book costs had nearly
> tripled
> over some two decades, thanks in part to pricey but marginally useful
> CD-ROMs and instructional supplements, as well as the constant
> issuing of
> lucrative but little changed new editions - publishing's version of
> planned
> obsolescence.
>
> The law is an important first step. But to really drive down costs,
> colleges
> and universities around the country will need to embrace creative
> solutions,
> like the one on display at the online Connexions system at Rice
> University.
>
> That content, already in use for several courses at Rice and at other
> colleges and universities, is generated by a consortium of writers.
> Online
> use is free. And a 300-page hardcover electrical-engineering
> textbook can be
> printed out for about $25 - roughly one-fifth the cost of a book
> from a
> conventional publisher. Other universities should follow Rice's
> creative
> lead. Students can use all the help they can get.
>
> --
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> A2k mailing list
> A2k@lists.essential.org
> http://lists.essential.org/mailman/listinfo/a2k
>

************************************************************************
***
Manon Anne Ress
manon.ress@keionline.org,
www.cptech.org

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