OTR Institute Sociological Survey #6

I remember waiting in line at the USL bookstore to get all the texts I would need for my first semester in college. Two anthropology books, three for british literature, two for philosophy, and more I can't remember (mostly, because I never went to those classes). Of course, I had gotten drunk the night before (read: Donovan brushed his nipple with Luke's toothbrush), and though I lived only a block away from the bookstore, I still got there too late to get any of the used books.

I still remember looking at that first anthropology text, seeing the price tag of $74.00, and promptly shitting in my pants. If memory serves correctly (which it rarely does when when I'm trying to remember anything that occurred between 1998 and 1999), I spent about $200 on books that day, and I got off easy.

While this is not a new discussion, retailers and service providers have been trying to further saturate the college markets for decades, but with the rising cost of education, perhaps it is time to re-visit this issue.

Query: If it would reduce the cost significantly, and in some cases entirely, should advertisements be allowed in college textbooks?

If not, why? If so, with what restrictions, if any?

For centuries newspapers, magazines and innumerable other publications have survived solely on adevrtising revenue. It allows retailers, etc. access to the intelligent and literate market, while the newspapers can provide their product at little or no cost to the comsumer. It's win-win.

From the Associated Press:

New idea to cut textbook costs — sell ads

Minnesota firm will offer more than 100 titles this fall — completely free.

Textbook prices are soaring into the hundreds of dollars, but in some courses this fall, students won’t pay a dime. The catch: Their textbooks will have ads for companies including FedEx Kinko’s and Pura Vida coffee.

Selling ad space keeps newspapers, magazines, Web sites and television either cheap or free. But so far, the model hasn’t spread to college textbooks — partly for fear that faculty would consider ads undignified. The upshot is that textbooks now cost students, according to various studies, about $900 per year.

Now, a small Minnesota startup is trying to shake up the status quo in the $6 billion college textbook industry. Freeload Press will offer more than 100 titles this fall — mostly for business courses — completely free. Students, or anyone else who fills out a five-minute survey, can download a PDF file of the book, which they can store on their hard drive and print.

I pose the question to you, my savvy and attractive readers (except for you Vinay, you are neither savvy nor attractive). What do you think?