S. 945 would ensure that college textbooks and supplemental materials are available and affordable.
Detailed Summary
College Textbook Affordability Act of 2007 - Requires publishers informing teachers at institutions of higher education about textbooks or supplements in their subject areas to include written information concerning: (1) the price the publisher would charge the bookstore associated with such institution for such items; (2) any history of revisions for such items; and (3) whether such items are available in other formats, including paperback and unbound, and the price the publisher would charge the bookstore for items in those formats.
Requires a publisher that sells a textbook and any accompanying supplement as a single bundled item also to sell them separately and unbundled.
Directs federally-assisted institutions of higher education to include on printed or internet course schedules the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) and retail price for each required or recommended textbook or supplement for listed courses.
Requires such institutions to provide sellers of textbooks (other than publishers) that meet their requirements with: (1) their course schedules for the subsequent academic period; (2) the ISBN for each textbook or supplement required or recommended for each course; and (3) the number of students enrolled, and the maximum enrollment, in each course.
Status of the Legislation
Latest Major Action: 3/20/2007: Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Points in Favor
(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should pass!)
Points Against
Transparency in the textbook marketplace is key, but federal regulation is not the way to accomplish this goal. Publishers willingly provide information regarding price and products to faculty and students. With that in mind, the objective of this bill should be to encourage transparency throughout the textbook adoption and purchasing processes, not to require publishers to provide a list of prices for every possible course material option.
Visitor Comments
Markus
The problem with these bills are that they don't really solve the problem. I wouldn't be surprised if this bill only ends up using taxpayer money to subsidize the very lucrative college textbook industry for the "benefit" of students.
Jared
The things mentioned in the CTAA of 2007 are a great start. Publisher's should not be allowed to play games in order to increase the prices to rediculous amounts. Additionally, they should be made to play fair with those that would like to join the textbook market.
Multiple editions a year coming out on esoteric subjects like (for instance) fluid mechanics, thermodynamics and heat transfer for Mechanical Engineers is to say the least, reprehensible. Be honest people! Just because you can take advantage of people doesn't mean that you should. It doesn't hurt some of us who can afford the huge cost of text, but it hinders others who can't afford it and those that receive government aid use all of our money in taxes to pay those money grubbing book publishers. (I speak collectively as a whole, so don't take it like I am talking to you individually....group psychology deserves collective treatment, so if the shoe fits...then wear it!