The Association of American Publishers (AAP) has reportedly released a "knee-jerk" national press release announcing its challenge to the notion that historic college textbook legislation unanimously passed by the California State Senate could indeed be provided to undergraduates for "free."
Stating that "there's no such thing as a "free" textbook," AAP is said to have attacked the 20 Million Minds Foundation (20 MM), a non-profit dedicated to lowering the cost of textbooks nationally. The AAP has reportedly called 20 MM's recently released infographic "voodoo math" based on "trumped-up claims."
According to 20 MM, AAP does not grasp what its pricing structures have done to the finances of the average college student. The overpricing of textbooks, combined with unnecessary new editions, is observed to have produced static, antiquated products that are sold at incredibly premium prices. The Foundation wishes to offer students a free option that is state approved and faculty adopted.
20 MM has further responded to the AAP press release questions. The AAP had pointed out that "free" textbooks would, in fact, cost California taxpayers, including college students, tens of millions of dollars to develop, distribute and maintain. The response from 20 MM is that publisher textbooks are already costing huge amounts of taxpayer dollars and offering a free version online will cost students nothing.
The AAP had also said that the initial funding was not going toward the creation of textbooks for "50 … courses" but the development of some unstated lesser number of "strategically selected textbooks". The 20 MM response is that the initial funding for the textbooks under the California legislation goes directly toward the creation or purchase of open source textbooks that will be provided to students for free on the web or any Internet device. The newly established California Open Education Resources Council, which has nine members drawn from the UC, CSU, and community college systems, will create and oversee the book approval process, including choosing the courses, then solicit bids to produce the textbooks in time for the 2013-2014 school year. This will be paid directly out of the $10 million allocated under the legislation. Publishers can also participate if they can make their content "cc-by" available.
The 20 Million Minds Foundation will be releasing a new infographic next week to address point-by-point the allegedly flawed statements issued in the AAP's roadmap attack on the facts presented by 20 MM.
