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| Contact: Deborah Sturm Rausch 518.473.9472|518.474.2896 |
For Immediate Release: November 12, 2008 |
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New York State Consumer Protection Board Partners with Barnes and Noble College Booksellers to Raise Awareness about Lower Textbook Cost Options for Students |
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The rising prices of textbooks are visible and frustrating to millions of students and parents each semester. As we confront the current fiscal crisis, students are looking for cost-savings approaches for these and other expenses associated with their higher education. Therefore, the New York State Consumer Protection Board (CPB), as part of its ongoing Stretch Your Dollar Efforts (SYDE), is working with Barnes & Noble College Booksellers (B&N) and the State University of New York (SUNY) to educate students, parents and faculty about the option and benefits of purchasing used textbooks.
“Students continue to face difficulties in affording the textbooks they need to complete their studies, especially in this time of economic distress,” said Governor David A. Paterson. “Through the Textbook Access Act of 2008, government, businesses and academia are lending a hand to college students by assuring that a lower-cost option is available so they are better able to manage these costs. I commend the Consumer Protection Board and Barnes and Noble College Booksellers for their proactive collaboration to promote this new law, and for working together to help our students save money.” In response to the issue, the New York State Textbook Access Act of 2008 was signed into law on August 7, 2008, by Governor David A. Paterson, and takes affect on July 1, 2009, but the CPB and B&N are not waiting for the effective date to take action. The Act promotes “open and transparent marketing, choice, pricing and purchasing of course materials” which will help consumers as they make their spending decisions. In 2007-08, students paid an average of $988 for books and supplies, an amount equivalent to 23% of senior college tuition at SUNY, 25% at CUNY or 28% of average community college tuition and fees in New York State, according to an April 2008 report entitled Sticker Shock 101, issued by the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG). Over the past two decades, college textbook prices have increased at twice the rate of inflation, according to a U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report issued in 2005. The report also stated that textbook prices nearly tripled increasing at an average rate of 6% per year from December 1986 to December 2004. “Timing is everything, so as the fall semester winds down and students and teachers gear up for the spring term, we are drawing student and faculty attention to used textbooks as one way to hold down some education costs,” said Mindy A. Bockstein, Chairperson and Executive Director of the CPB. “Struggling students and their parents will be better able to afford their books thanks to the Governor’s Textbook Access Act and the actions of Barnes & Noble College Booksellers and others. By purchasing used textbooks, students will not just be saving money, they will be saving trees, and helping the environment. As students attempt to make their educational ends meet, we are reminding consumers that the CPB is on their SYDE.” To assure continuing education of students and remind faculty of the value and availability of used books, beginning today, a new CPB-inspired “411 on Textbooks” bookmark will be available in all 72 B&N campus bookstores across New York State, providing consumers with information on how they can find, purchase and save money on used books. Further, if they know the books will be used again, most bookstores will buy back used textbooks in good condition so that used texts can be resold as “used” for the next term. Jade Roth, Barnes & Noble College Booksellers’ Vice President, Books, said, “We are excited to work with the State Consumer Protection Board to provide students with information on how to save money when purchasing textbooks. As booksellers, we strive to offer as many used books as possible to save students 25% off the new text price. We chose to distribute the bookmark at this time of year, because finals is the best time for students to sell back their unwanted books and get 50% of their purchase price. We wanted to make sure they knew how important this "cash back" process was as a part of saving money on textbooks.” According to the State Act, textbook publishers must make their published prices available to members of faculties or purchasing entities of institutions of higher education upon request, which provides the opportunity for academics to scrutinize publications for price as well as content when they make their textbook choices. Faculty who order textbooks early give bookstores more lead time to purchase used books so they can better provide an affordable supply of texts for the next semester. “Providing pricing information from publishers to SUNY campuses will help faculty and students to make more informed decisions and save on the cost of textbooks,” said SUNY Senior Assistant Provost for University Life and Enrollment Management Ed Engelbride. “SUNY very much appreciates the efforts of Governor Paterson, the Consumer Protection Board and Barnes & Noble in promoting lower cost textbook options for SUNY students and their families.” Mr. Fran Clark, Program Coordinator for the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) said, "It's great to see faculty, bookstores, students, SUNY and the State all working together to help students save money on textbooks. The Textbooks Access Act was a strong first step towards reining in rising book prices. This partnership is another.” “We tend to emulate the people who are most influential in our lives, so we look to faculty and academic leadership to provide encouragement and recommendation for purchasing used textbooks,” continued Bockstein. “This unique collaborative effort to spotlight some methods by which students and faculty can hold down textbook costs is even more vital given the current economic climate.” Used Textbook Tips for Students
For more information on B&N used textbooks, visit the B&N website at www.whywaitforbooks.com. About Barnes & Noble College Booksellers Barnes & Noble College Booksellers’ is a privately-held sister company to Barnes & Noble, Inc., the nation’s largest bookseller. Based in Basking Ridge, NJ, Barnes & Noble College Booksellers manages bookstores at more than 650 colleges and universities across North America. About the NYS Consumer Protection Board The NYS CPB, established in 1970 by the New York State Legislature, is the State's top consumer watchdog and think tank. The CPB's core mission is to protect New Yorkers by publicizing unscrupulous and questionable business practices and product recalls; conducting investigations and hearings; enforcing the “Do Not Call” law; researching issues; developing legislation; creating consumer education programs and materials; responding to individual marketplace complaints by securing voluntary agreements; and, representing the interests of consumers before the Public Service Commission and other State and federal agencies. Contacts: NYS Consumer Protection Board Deborah Sturm Rausch (Office) 518-473-9472, (Mobile) 518-528-0500 Deborah.Rausch@consumer.state.ny.us Barnes & Noble College Booksellers Karen Gonsor DiScala Manager, Corporate Communications 908-991-2378 kdiscala@bncollege.com |