Saving Money on Textbooks

  Changes Mandated by The Higher Education Opportunity Act

The Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) made a number of changes to the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), including adding a provision designed to lower the costs of course materials and increase the transparency of their prices.  The central features of this new provision are requirements for textbook publishers and institutions of higher education that will provide greater transparency of pricing information at the time faculty members select texts for the classes they teach and when students register for classes.  These provisions, codified in section 133 of the HEA, take effect on July 1, 2010.

An institution of higher education receiving Federal financial assistance is required, to the maximum extent practicable, to post verified textbook pricing information for both required and recommended materials for each class on the institution’s online course schedule or linked to the course schedule from another site, such as a college-designated bookstore, in a manner of the institution’s choosing.  This pricing information must include:

  •  The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) and retail price of the materials charged by the institution or a bookstore on the campus of, or otherwise associated with, the institution. 
  • If no ISBN is available, the author, title, publisher, and copyright date of the textbook or supplemental material. 
  • If the institution determines that disclosure of this pricing information is not practicable for some reason, the designation of “To Be Determined (TBD)” in lieu of the required pricing information.

Implementation at Loyola:

Student Records, SGA Start New Projects - NEW! You will be able to see what textbooks are required for courses when you pre-register.  Textbook information is not a part of the syllabus that many faculty historically  submit to LORA and many faculty are still making final decisions on their required texts. However,

  • When faculty have submitted textbook information, you will now see a separate link that will lead to that information.
  • When faculty have NOT submitted textbook information, you will see a message "To Be Determined - Course Material selections are still under review by department"

Loyola's Bookstore will also offer the option - starting with the 2010 fall semester - to rent textbooks.  You can also do an online search by class and section for required textbooks.

Upon request from a professor, Loyola's Library will put material, including textbooks,  on reserve.

Additional Resources on the Web

  •  Loomagoo - Students at Loyola University New Orleans became aware of a growing problem facing college students. Books were getting too expensive, and students deserved an alternative. Loomagoo was built in three weeks and went live in November of 2008. Their goal is to bring the social network into the classroom. They want to give  users the tools to exchange knowledge and information instantaneously, and want to give it them for free.
  • Textbook Revolt is a free textbook exchange program. Students offer used books and ask for the ones they want, free of charge.
  • Campaign to Reduce College Textbook Costs-The Affordable Textbooks Campaign is a coalition of Student PIRGs and Student Government Associations in fourteen states who are working to make college more affordable.

Updated May 7, 2012