Textbook publishers try to keep prices down

The Deseret Morning News' recent article "Textbook sales: one big rip-off" conveyed student concerns about the price of college textbooks. But it didn't make it clear that publishers are sympathetic to these concerns and have responded by expanding their lower-cost options and researching different business models.

New textbook options include electronic books, loose-leaf editions, black-and-white editions, abbreviated texts, textbooks by the chapter and customized editions. And these options lead to a wider range of prices. For example, there are 216 introductory psychology titles in college bookstores at retail prices ranging from about $25 to $120.

From initial concept to actual production, a single textbook and instructional program will require thousands of hours of research, writing, development, production and the work of hundreds of people. It can take several years to produce a complex new or latest edition with total costs easily exceeding $1 million. But unlike novels that can sell in the millions, textbooks are not "mass market" products. The significant upfront investment must be spread over a small niche market.

As for new editions, it is important to remember that the market — not the publishers — determines when a revision is necessary. Eighty percent of college instructors say it is important that textbooks used in their courses be as current as possible, according to a nationwide Zogby poll. The same survey found that 62 percent of instructors prefer texts with the most recent copyright date. On average, textbook revisions occur every four years.

Publishers share the common goal of helping students succeed, and they are committed to working with students, parents, faculty and institutions to make this goal a reality. For more information, please visit www.textbookfacts.org.

---

Stacy Scarazzo Skelly is the assistant director for the Higher Education Association of American Publishers. She works in Washington, D.C.