The Used Textbook Association,
formed in August, aims to "to advocate the role and value of used
textbooks in the marketplace and in turn, increase the supply of used
textbooks available to students."
The Association was founded by BUDGEText, MBS Textbook Exchange,
Nebraska Book Company, New Jersey Books, Southeastern Book Company,
Texas Book Company and Tichenor College Textbook Company. Barry Major,
COO of Nebraska Book Company, is president of the association. The
association said it is "currently in the initial membership recruitment
phase with close to 50 members."
The association intends "to provide students and faculty members
information on the buyback process, improve the rate of early adoptions
by faculty members, and ensure textbook merchandise practices are
appropriate and meeting the goals of higher learning."
The association said widespread problems it will address include "the increased
frequency of new editions, unexpected bundling of course materials and
less timely faculty adoption rates [that] continue to drive up the cost of
textbooks." In addition, "the value of used textbooks is often lost in
the discussion of what can be done to address the issue of rising
prices because there has been a lack of a unified industry voice. This
association creates that unified voice for the industry and is working
to lower the cost of education through promoting affordable textbooks."
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Speaking
of textbooks, the State Public Interest Research Groups has issued
another report, "largely a summary of previous findings," that "accuses
publishers of undermining the used book market and unnecessarily
inflating prices." Inside Higher Ed has a text about the report and its recommendations.