Free Digital Textbooks for UTSA Students

Our Project

UTSA Student Government Association and the UTSA Libraries have launched a crowdfunding project: Free Textbooks for UTSA Students. We are excited to kick-off this campaign in an effort to raise $3,000 in 30 days! Funds raised will be used to directly support UTSA faculty that are transforming courses that have relied on traditional, expensive textbooks to free textbooks.

The average student spends $1,250 a year on textbooks. Textbook prices are a barrier for UTSA students, 42% of which come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. One national study conducted by the U.S. PIRG Education Fund showed that 65% of students forego purchasing textbooks because of their cost, and of those students, 94% said not purchasing textbooks has affected their grades.  

In addition to saving students money, free textbooks have been shown to improve course outcomes and lower course withdrawal rates. UTSA students taking classes that use free textbooks have reported that they were engaged with the texts. More than 85% rated the free text as good or better than a traditional text in preparing for tests, ease of use, and content quality.

In 2016, UTSA Libraries launched an Adopt-a-Free-Textbook grant program for faculty interested in incorporating free textbooks into their courses and making a difference for their students. Since then, faculty have shown tremendous interest, with applications to the program tripling over the course of a year.

During Fall 2017 alone, students enrolled in courses using free textbooks saved over $1 million. With a required minimum adoption of a free textbook for 4 semesters, faculty grant recipients will result in student savings of $4 million. UTSA Faculty adopting free textbooks are also reporting they plan to continue using them, many with plans to expand free textbook adoption to their other courses.

Help increase the number of free textbooks by making a gift today.

Thank you!