Textbook company capitalizes with lower-cost alternatives | Minnesota Public Radio News

"St. Paul company is cashing in on student frustration with high textbook prices by offering less expensive electronic and print-on-demand alternatives to books from the big publishers. Textbook Media in St. Paul is one of a number of enterprises that see an opportunity selling lower-priced texts. The company seeks established authors in favor of more affordable textbooks. Since 2004, the company has had more than 1 million student customers ... After working for decades for major textbook publishers, Doran and his team decided to use technology to deliver affordable options to students. He said more than 400 instructors, largely at state schools and community colleges, use textbooks published by his firm ... Among those who have steered students to the company is Peter Lawson, an economics instructor at St. Paul College. A few years ago, he assigned students a popular textbook that cost more than $100, and he regretted it.  Now, Lawson is teaching from a far cheaper book from Textbook Media. Students pay $25 for an electronic edition or $50 for a print version ..."