University of Utah exploring using free, online textbooks | The Salt Lake Tribune

"For $150, a University of Utah student could buy a few tanks of gas, a couple of weeks’ worth of groceries — or maybe a textbook for an English class. '[Books] can be a financial burden,' said Rachel Wootten, a geography and political-science major.  0  3 Photos View photo gallery (3 photos) Join the Discussion Post a Comment The cost of textbooks has risen a staggering 812 percent since 1978, according to an analysis by the American Enterprise Institute. At the U., the average student cost for books and supplies is $1,000 a year, on top of nearly $7,000 a year for in-state tuition. 'The prices are just ridiculous in my opinion,' said Dave Nelson, book manager at the university bookstore. 'They’re just nuts, how much they’re going up.' But a new U. Academic Senate committee wants to do something about it. The group last week voted to explore saving students money by using open-source textbooks — books licensed to be downloaded for free online. Senate president Allyson Mower, a U. librarian, said she’s aiming to cut costs by $500 a year ..."