Today, textbooks, affordability, and equity of access are on the minds of students, faculty, and administrators at colleges and universities across the country.

Along with other Jesuit colleges and universities, Seattle University shares a distinct mission centered on access and affordability as part of the social justice work of Jesuit higher education. A variety of innovative practices at Seattle University highlight the efforts being made to uphold the Jesuit access and affordability mission.¹

Textbook access and affordability are the focus of our attention. We believe that understanding the options available is of the greatest help to everyone involved and so we have created these webpages and references. A work in progress, this LibGuide profiles relevant Library and campus resources, discusses online resources at students’ disposal, includes links to resources for locating open educational resources (OERs), and suggests ways for faculty to help. Context is provided in a section on libraries, textbooks, and textbook publishers. For those interested in how the Library supports OERs and open principles and practices, there’s information about that too.

The Library is enhancing its commitment to textbook access and affordability by expanding and streamlining the High-Cost Required Textbook Initiative launched in SQ23.

There are many Seattle University units dedicated to supporting the educational needs of students. Here we acknowledge those involved in textbook access and affordability in particular, including:

• Campus Store
• Campus Ministry
• Center for Digital Learning and Innovation
• Lemieux Library and McGoldrick Learning Commons
• Liaison Librarians
• Office of the Provost
• Open Education Task Force
• Research Services
• Student Financial Services

If you have questions, would like to join the conversation, get involved, or learn more please contact Sarah Barbara Watstein, Dean of the Lemieux Library and McGoldrick Learning Commons at watsteins@seattleu.edu.

¹ Roberts, Drew and Zerquera, Desiree D. (2016) "A Call for Upholding Access and Affordability at Jesuit Institutions," Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal: Vol. 5: No. 2, Article 3. 
Available at: https://epublications.regis.edu/jhe/vol5/iss2/3