How do you get access to course materials? What would you consider a reasonable price for a textbook? These were two of the questions we asked UWT students in spring 2024 about their experiences acquiring and using textbooks and course materials. Open to all current undergraduate and graduate students, we heard from 180 students that high textbook costs are hard to bear but when choices are actively promoted, students can find affordable books that work for them.

Since 2018, the UWT Library has purchased textbooks $75 and over as part of our course reserves program — textbooks and other materials required for classes and made available for short-term checkout at the Library. Our textbook purchasing is modeled after a similar program at the UW Bothell/Cascadia College Library where a survey of their students found $75 as the maximum amount students felt they could pay for a textbook.

Our survey showed Tacoma students were comfortable with a much lower price range for textbooks — $32 – $42. To reduce costs, students searched for free copies online, purchased from online retailers and searched for used editions, and used the Library’s course reserves program. Unfortunately, these strategies didn’t work for all students or for all assigned books. 51% of students continued taking a course without having the required texts, 18% received a poor grade in a class because they couldn’t afford the course materials, and 25% did not take, dropped, or withdrew from a class because of an expensive textbook.

“I have had to purchase so many textbooks, many of which I will never read again. It’s a lot of money. I think requiring expensive textbooks is not inclusive or equitable.” – survey response

In addition to these responses highlighting the negative impact of expensive textbooks, we heard from students in a series of focus groups that choices and having adequate time to make choices was the best way for them to alleviate the burden of expensive books.

Focus group participants started their search for textbooks by looking for free or low-cost books first and would purchase a new textbook as a last resort. The sooner students found out what their assigned books would be the more time they had to search for the best option. Students mentioned using and appreciating having a free option for textbooks through the Library but all students agreed that the current four-hour checkout period was not long enough.

“If a textbook is available for a four-hour checkout period but you have another class that begins in an hour… actually it would only be available for an hour.” – focus group student

Based on both survey and focus group feedback, the Library increased the length of time students can check out course reserves from four hours to 24 hours at the start of this autumn quarter. Now, students can keep Library course reserves throughout a full day on campus and take textbooks home overnight. We also updated our website to make it clearer that course reserves are textbooks for checkout, not books that need to stay in the Library.  

To provide an additional option for textbooks we piloted a textbook swap in the Library for the first three weeks of autumn quarter. The textbook swap will be returning at the end of this quarter (Monday, December 2 – Friday, December 13) in the Snoqualmie Building lobby. Students can also donate and browse used books at any time by visiting the UWT Little Free Library on the fourth floor of the TLB.

When students mentioned wanting to find out about their textbooks as soon as possible, they consistently noted the important role that faculty play in sharing both the title of texts and available options for free or low-cost materials on campus.

 “I would like to hear from them [professors].” – focus group student

“I wish professors would encourage us to use it [course reserves]” – survey response

With this feedback in mind, Library staff reached out to Faculty Assembly Executive Council and on November 15 presented our survey and focus groups findings. As winter quarter approaches, we will continue talking with faculty and campus partners. We look forward to continued conversations and promoting choices for UWT students to access textbooks and course materials.