Prices of textbooks to fall by next year CD-ROMs extremely helpful

2008-07-24 13:03:07 (GMT) (WiredPRNews.com - Education)

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (WiredPRNews.com) — According to a recent study, it has been found that the price of textbooks which have tripled in the last two decades may start declining due to new laws, startup companies and modern technology. Undergraduate students who like to take advantage of new alternatives may easily cut down their costs on textbooks by half this academic year.

This means that an average student will be able to save over $300. Congressional negotiators shaped a bipartisan agreement during the summer of 2008 designing a proposal to control the skyrocketing prices of books. The proposal is expected to be passed by fall this year. The new laws will also require publishers to separate the common expensive packages of CD-ROMs, textbooks, web tools and workbooks so that students can buy whichever part they require.

The House has already passed the proposal and is quite similar to the bills that have recently passed in Washington, Connecticut, Missouri and other states. Publishers say that their new study guides and CD-ROMs are extremely helpful for students to achieve better grades, while a large number of students say that they do not bother buying expensive accessories. Students who are willing to read on-screen rather than on paper and books have many low-cost and free options in the form of e-books that have been archived on various sites over the Internet.

A new petition over the Internet has been signed by over 1,000 professors to contribute to and use free, open-source, electronic textbooks. Students who like to study on paper and books can order paperback copies. More national companies and college bookstores have been offering rental textbooks to students.

By the beginning of the school year this Fall, Coursesmart expects 5,000 bestselling textbooks in the nation will be available for download or subscription on the Internet, typically 30-50% less price than their sticker price.

Author: Ryan Anderson - Duplium Corp - Dallas DVD Duplication Company