n Your recent article, “Textbook (seller) defense,” failed to provide an accurate understanding of the changing nature of today’s college textbooks and has specific statements that need to be addressed.

The use of the word “scheme” is unfair and unfounded. Publishers are sympathetic to students’ concerns about the cost of textbooks and offer a range of options from which faculty can choose for their courses. For example, there are 216 introductory psychology titles currently on sale in college bookstores around the country at retail prices ranging from $23.44 to $120.54. These alternatives and a new and expanding range of technologies are helping more students pass their courses, stay in school and graduate sooner, saving students time and money while improving their success rates.

In fact, textbook prices, which account for less than 5 percent of the core higher education expenses for the average four-year student, are not rising as fast as other higher education costs, such as tuition and student fees. According to Student Monitor, a college student research company, the average college student spent $644 on textbooks during the 2005 – 2006 academic year, a cost that has remained generally steady for the past three years. As for textbook publishers’ profit, their income – after they pay for fixed costs, taxes, printing, binding, paper and other expenses – is about 4.8 to 7 percent of each dollar spent.

As for the implication that textbooks become obsolete every semester is simply wrong. The average new edition comes out every four years.

As the cost of higher education continues to escalate, America’s publishers are helping students get the most out of their tuition dollar by responding to changing needs. Contrary to the image created by your article, today’s college textbooks may be among the best long-term investments a student can make.

Stacy Scarazzo Skelly

Assistant Director for Higher Education

Association of American Publishers