Zero textbook cost

Student studying at laptop in medical classroom

Zero textbook cost

Southern Cross University is committed to removing or reducing the costs associated with purchasing textbooks.

The Library team work closely with academics across all Faculties and Colleges to provide relevant, current, and accessible learning resources aligned with Unit Learning Outcomes, without the need for students to purchase expensive commercial textbooks. 

A zero textbook cost course is one that exclusively uses teaching materials and resources that are freely available to students. Students can earn their qualification without paying for any textbooks.

Zero textbook cost strategies may include open-access books and other open-access educational resources available through various online platforms, as well as digital books, journal articles, and other types of educational resources that are easily and freely available to students through the University Library's online services.

  • Included: All prescribed textbooks, workbooks, lab manuals, and other publisher-provided curricular materials.
  • Excluded: calculators, specialised software, fieldwork uniforms, personal protective clothing and equipment, or other equipment or tools.

Options for reducing textbook costs in units and courses may include:

  • Replacing a commercial textbook with an Open Education alternative.
  • Providing a curated list of topic readings available online (up to a maximum of 20 readings per unit). This could include journal articles, videos, book chapters, news, and reports available to students via the Library.
  • Using a range of chapters from different textbooks available to students via the Library (within Copyright limits).

Contact us if you have a zero textbook cost course to add to the list.

Open Education Resources are quality, peer-reviewed, digital alternatives to commercially published textbooks. Library staff have curated lists of Open Education Resources that can be adapted or adopted instead of commercially published texts. Library staff can support the adaptation and creation of Open Education Resources that are tailored to Southern Cross University.

SCU academics and staff have authored or contributed to three Open Education Textbooks:

If your unit currently has a prescribed textbook, here are some questions to help with the transition:

  1. How many textbook chapters align with the Unit Learning Outcomes? Do students need to purchase the textbook to succeed in the unit or can key sections be made accessible via the Library’s MyReadings platform?
  2. How current is the textbook? How well does it align with Southern Cross Model and Universal Design for Learning practices?
  3. Could the textbook be replaced by a curated list of readings from scholarly sources (book chapters, journal articles or other sources, including digital media)?
  4. Could Open Education alternatives be substituted or adapted for your unit?
Browse the OER collection

Contact the Library team for advice about how to adopt zero textbook cost strategies into units and courses.

Faculty and College Librarians