Library Open Education Textbook Affordability Project 2024-2025

Textbook Affordability Project 2024-2025

About

JCU Library 2023 textbook cost estimates revealed that 72 first-year core subjects had prescribed textbooks that cost students an average of $119 each. This means that 2023 first-year students could have paid approximately $2,194,238 for their prescribed textbooks for core subjects. To address this issue, JCU Library launched a HEPPP-funded Textbook Affordability Project (TAP), 2024–2025. This whole-of-Library initiative invited stakeholders from first-year core subjects to collaborate in creating a zero-textbook-cost (ZTC) experience for their students. Options explored included:

Subject Readings lists: curated lists of Library resources and high-quality materials beyond Library collections
Open Educational Resources (OERs): adopt (use) existing publications, or adapt or create new high-quality openly licenced etextbooks
Library subscribed etextbooks: preferably etextbooks with unlimited user licences (dependent on favourable publisher licence conditions).

The results speak for themselves. Thanks to TAP interventions, students in the College of Healthcare Sciences (a sample College) saved an estimated $645,240 on textbook costs over the two years of the project (based on a conservative average textbook cost of $120).

TAP partnerships have transformed JCU first-year student educational experiences by reducing financial stress and improving access to essential learning resources - increasing their potential for academic success. At the conclusion of the project, JCU Library staff have embedded textbook affordability practices and are well-positioned to sustain this work as an integral part of ongoing operations, reaffirming the Library's commitment to keeping students at the heart of everything we do.

TAP Grants

TAP grants were aimed at alleviating the financial burden of textbook costs on students by supporting first-year core subject stakeholders to innovate and transition to zero-textbook-cost alternatives.

2025 recipients

2025 TAP grants are set to deliver major benefits - every $1 invested is expected to generate approximately $50 in textbook savings for each JCU student enrolled in participating 2026 subjects. By 2028, these grants are projected to have saved students in these subjects an estimated $1.8 million on textbook costs.

Team	Grant funds	Project	College
Dr Lauren Waszek, Dr Gregory Boyle, Dr Sara Brice, Prof. Scott Heron, A/Prof. Daniel Kosov and Dr James Whinney	$3,000	Development of a JCU Open eBook titled Fundamentals of physics for Australian universities: To replace a physics-prescribed textbook and paid question bank for two 1^st and two 2^nd year physics subjects Savings: approximately $149 each for 241 students Potential cohort savings - $35,909.	Science and Engineering
A/Prof. Monika Zimanyi, A/Prof. Alex Trollope, Dr Amanda Meyer and Prof. Kate Domett	$3,000	Development of a JCU Open eBook titled Slide into histology: To replace three prescribed textbooks for five 1^st year and nine later year subjects Savings: approximately $284 for 1729 students Potential cohort savings - $491,036.	Medicine and Dentistry and Science and Engineering
Dr Amanda Krause, Dr Daniel Miller, Dr Clint Knight, Dr Klaire Somoray, Dr Janine Lurie	$3,000	Development of a JCU Open eBook titled JCU psychology research: To replace a prescribed textbook for four 1^st year and three later year psychology subjects To facilitate the transition from paid statistical software to open access software Savings: approximately $100 for 1866 students Potential cohort savings - $186,600.	Healthcare Sciences
Diana Castorina	$3,000	Development of a JCU Open eBook titled Principles of economics: To replace a prescribed textbook for a 1^st year economics subject Savings: approximately $75 for 842 students Potential cohort savings - $63,150.	Business, Law and Governance

2024 recipients

2024 TAP grants have delivered major benefits - every $1 invested generated approximately $59 in textbook savings for each JCU student enrolled in participating 2025 subjects. By 2027, these grants are projected to have saved students in these subjects an estimated $1.2 million on textbook costs.

Team	Grant funds	Project	College
Dr Marc Chao	$1,000	Development of a JCU Open eBook titled Critical thinking in psychology: Disposition, cognitive insights, and research skills: To replace a first-year psychology prescribed textbook Savings: approximately $125 each for 183 enrolled students Potential student savings: $22,875.	Healthcare Sciences
Dr Danica Vojisavljevic and Dr Beena Suvarna	$1,000	Adoption of existing open educational resources (OERs) and/or Library subscribed resources: To replace a first-year biomed prescribed textbook Savings: approximately $95 for 466 enrolled students Potential student savings: $44,270.	Healthcare Sciences and Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences
Frances Cochrane, Louise Brown, Dr Jacqueline Lim, Roger Newman and Harriet Naylor	$2,000	Development of a JCU Open eBook titled Introduction to speech pathology practice: Foundational concepts for first-year students: To replace 3 first-year speech pathology prescribed textbooks Savings: approximately $380 for 132 enrolled students Potential student savings: $50,160.	Healthcare Sciences
Leisa Sanderson, Penny Coogan, Sandra Dash, Kate Hurley and Amy McCrystal	$2,000	Development of a JCU Open eBook titled Foundations of nursing skills: A comprehensive guide for the Australian context: To replace 2 first-year nursing prescribed textbooks Savings: approximately $258 for 1400 enrolled students Potential student savings: $361,200.	Healthcare Sciences

Collaborate with us

Are you interested pursuing textbook affordability options for your students? Connect with JCU Library experts and explore your options.