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Find Your Textbooks – Summer 2024

Digital Textbooks

Closing the book on high textbook costs

Finances are an important tool for a student’s overall success. One area that continues to be a difficulty for students is affording texts and resources. Over the past several years, Jackson College has moved to make textbook costs more affordable.

The Problem

To buy or not to buy

A challenge for college students is the overall cost of books. Stretching already thin budgets can make students’ goal of completing a college credential even more difficult.

When students are strapped for cash, they are forced to make difficult choices. Unfortunately, that sometimes meant not buying the textbook for their course(s). While they tried to keep up, without the textbook, they would fall behind.

Finding a Solution

Textbook Zero

In 2017, Jackson College moved toward all-digital textbooks. This initiative, Textbook Zero or TBZ, allowed students to download digital texts to their devices, offering ease and immediate access from the first day of class. Students who wanted a print book had the option to purchase one, also.

Access 

In 2019, Jackson College changed how students purchased textbooks by charge a fee per credit hour right on their tuition bills. With this fee, students would receive all the texts they needed for their courses. Working with their bookstore contracting company, this was known as Follett Access.

BibliU 

In 2021, the College partnered with BibliU to provide Digital e-Texts. With this initiative, digital materials are available for just $70 per course, which is included in the student’s tuition bill as “Textbook Program Fee.” Physical materials that may be required for any course are available in the Jets Store for additional cost.  You can find textbook/course material for your courses on the Find your Textbook page.

That is far less than the cost for most texts, and students have access to their books from day one of class. Students can opt-out within the first three (3) days of class and purchase their textbooks on their own for the semester. BibliU’s app offers numerous features such as making notes, highlighting text, searching for keywords, marking their favorite most used book, and accessibility features such as Text to Speech.

Making texts and resources necessary affordable and convenient is just one of the ways Jackson College is committed to student success.