The following is a release from the office of Rep. Suzan DelBene:

Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) introduced bipartisan legislation today to help college students save money on textbooks by encouraging the use of low-cost or free digital course materials in higher education.

“An often overlooked driver of the rising cost of college is textbooks and supplies. In addition to tackling tuition hikes and burdensome student loan debt, we must find solutions to the other factors making a college degree less attainable for working families,” DelBene said. “Technology is changing the way we communicate and conduct commerce, and it can also transform the classroom experience. The E-BOOK Act will help spur innovation in our colleges and incentivize the adoption of new learning technologies, which will both improve instruction and save students money.”

The E-BOOK Act – or Electronic Books Opening Opportunity for Knowledge Act – would direct the Department of Education to use $20 million to create 10 pilot programs at public institutions throughout the country to increase access to digital course materials, expand the availability of e-readers and tablets for low-income students and encourage professors to incorporate new learning technologies into their classes.

Students today are forced to spend more than $1,000 per year on college textbooks and course materials, which continue to become more costly each year according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Digital textbooks are estimated to cost as much as 50 percent less than new print textbooks. A number of other low-cost course materials, including freely available open educational resources (OER), are also becoming more widely available.

“I spend upwards of $1,000 on textbooks per year, and as a first-generation student putting myself through school, every penny counts,” said Carly Roberts, a senior at Western Washington University. “There have been times when I have had to make the choice between buying groceries and buying textbooks. This bill would make a significant difference for students like me by increasing the affordability of our textbooks.”

Unfortunately, limited access to computers and other devices, such as e-readers and tablets, remains a barrier for low-income students. Many institutions also lack the resources to help instructors incorporate digital learning into their teaching.

“The University of Washington understands that college students require many forms of financial assistance to make their education affordable, from grants and loans to scholarships and work-study opportunities,” said Betsy Wilson, Dean of University Libraries at the University of Washington. “However, one cost that is often overlooked is the price of textbooks and supplies, which has grown significantly over the last decade. By allowing students and faculty at universities like the UW to purchase, distribute and access lower-cost or no-cost digital course materials, the E-BOOK Act offers a promising approach to easing the cost of a college education for many members of our student population.”

“As part of its land-grant heritage, Washington State University has always been committed to finding innovative strategies that reduce the financial barriers to obtaining a university education,” said Jay Starratt, Dean of the Libraries for Washington State University. “Paying for college requires careful planning and entails coping with many different types of costs — which often includes purchasing hundreds of dollars’ worth of textbooks every year. The E-BOOK Act is a step toward providing access and affordability through reducing the cost of course materials for students at WSU.”

Congressman Richard Hanna (R-NY) is also an original cosponsor of the bill.