Funny political pictures

[BigV]

unlikely.

I've read stories about our local public library which I love that is spending much money on electronic books. part of the high expense is because they're limited by the publishers to the number of times the e-book can be "checked out". now... you and I being reasonable and intelligent people understand that there's no wear and tear on an e-book. it's a copy. but the publishing / licensing agreements are written so that the e-books have approximately the same turnover as the hardcover books. that is, a limited number of checkouts before the library would have to replace the book due to wear and tear.

I understand the need for publishers to make money too. but this seems ridiculous.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Yeah, all kinds of horror stories online about e-books being yanked from people who bought them from Amazon and other sellers, thinking they owned them outright. The library thing is crazy too.

[Gravdigr]

Originally Posted by BigV

...this seems ridiculous.

Not seems, is.

[Clodfobble]

The last semester I bought textbooks, all of them were well over $100. But it's true that science themed books have always been more expensive than other subjects.

Edit: I'm on my phone so pasting links is a pain in the ass, but you can search current textbook prices on Amazon. As far as I can tell, the ones aimed at younger kids are no cheaper than those for college students.

[ZenGum]

Frequent updating + multiple authors/editors + full colour diagrams + small print runs + you really need it = $$$$$$!!!!

Quite a few universities are exploring giving tablets* of some form or another to all first years, and going fully-electronic.


*sad sign of the times that this means computers and not drugs.

[BigV]

Wait a minute. Since when do high school students need to buy textbooks?

Maybe it's still the cost of the textbook but the district is paying for the book. I sure hope so.

[Clodfobble]

The thing they don't mention is the ebook versions of the textbooks still cost something, on top of the cost of the iPads...

[xoxoxoBruce]

Why wouldn't every high school freshman use the same math book? well, not the same book, but a copy of the same book, that should make them cheaper than dirt.

[Clodfobble]

Because if you expect them to be able to do homework, they have to be able to take the books home.

[Spexxvet]

Originally Posted by Happy Monkey

I graduated college almost 15 years ago. Back then I had one or two textbooks that broke the $100 mark. That's probably more common now.

Though I wouldn't think that middle/high school texts would be that expensive, even now.

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

The last semester I bought textbooks, all of them were well over $100. But it's true that science themed books have always been more expensive than other subjects.

In college, in 1979, I bought a text book for $62.00

Originally Posted by ZenGum

Frequent updating + multiple authors/editors + full colour diagrams + small print runs + you really need it = $$$$$$!!!!

And when the professor writes the book, he has a financial interest. And when the professor updates the text every year, the student cannot buy used books.

Last semester, we rented books for my daughter in college.

Originally Posted by BigV

Wait a minute. Since when do high school students need to buy textbooks?

Maybe it's still the cost of the textbook but the district is paying for the book. I sure hope so.

Yeah, I think the article was about the cost to the district.

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Why wouldn't every high school freshman use the same math book? well, not the same book, but a copy of the same book, that should make them cheaper than dirt.

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

Because if you expect them to be able to do homework, they have to be able to take the books home.

My kids had their own "loaner" text, and one that stayed in the classroom. That way they didn't have to tote the heavy tomes back and forth.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

Because if you expect them to be able to do homework, they have to be able to take the books home.

What's that got to do with all freshman using a copy of the same textbook?

[Clodfobble]

Oh, you mean every freshman nationwide using the same title, so economies of scale come into play? That kind of happens already. The Texas education agency determines a small set of acceptable textbooks, sometimes only one in a topic. Because they represent such a huge market of buyers, they often literally get to dictate what goes in the books, because the publishers want to keep them happy. Then, after Texas goes through its major selection and editing process, many if not most smaller states are essentially forced to use the same books, either because their states aren't willing to spend the money examining the options, and figure that Texas must have done a good enough job at it already, or because it's the only book being published that year, thanks to Texas' buying power. It's been said that Texas and California choose the textbooks for the whole nation.

[Griff]

What harm could come of leaving national text book choice to a state where $60,000,000 seems like a reasonable expense for a high school football stadium?

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

Oh, you mean every freshman nationwide using the same title, so economies of scale come into play?

Yes exactly, that should make them cheaper than dirt, not $100.

That kind of happens already. The Texas education agency determines a small set of acceptable textbooks, sometimes only one in a topic.

Yes, I've been reading some of the recent changes Texas has been making.

[BrianR]

What could POSSIBLY go wrong???