Publishers Refute PIRG Assertions

The American Association of Publishers (AAP) today refuted point-by-point the ongoing attacks the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) is making on college textbooks, citing its continued use of flawed and twisted data to gain media interest.

"My members and I have met with PIRG representatives for more than 18 months to create an open discussion and share data. Unfortunately, PIRG continues to attempt to influence the media and public by ignoring valid research and information from independent, third-party sources, returning again and again to figures assembled by biased student volunteers. PIRG just doesn't let the facts get in their way," said Patricia Schroeder, president and chief executive officer of the Association of American Publishers.

"They also forget a central factor in the textbook market. It is a free market. Professors choose the textbooks and supplemental instructional materials they believe best meet their students' needs. Professors are not impulse buyers, they are among the best educated and most sophisticated consumers in America and they take months, frequently years, to make their choices from among the hundreds of items offered by publishers," Schroeder said.

"If professors want a low cost, medium cost or top of the line textbook they can choose one. If they want to write their own book, create a personal course pack or work with the publishers to create a custom book they can do so. If they don't like a book, they do not have to choose it," she said.

"What is being left out of this discussion is the reasons why textbooks are produced and what they are for. Publishers respond to the demands of the market when deciding to create new editions. Put simply, instructors want their students to succeed by having the latest information and the most up-to- date materials.

"New editions are also generated to provide new or improved learning aids and enhanced instructional techniques. Although some core information might not change radically, the application of that information, or its relevance to a discussion, can change or evolve significantly, requiring new treatment in the text and in instruction," Schroeder continued.

  "Just look at some facts," Schroeder said.

  PIRG Assertion
  Students pay an average of $900 a year for textbooks

  Fact

No other source is available to support this assertion. Research by Student Monitor says the average four-year undergraduate spends approximately $625 a year on textbooks. Textbook spending equals six cents of the average student's education dollar, according to the College Board.

  PIRG Assertion
  Textbooks are sold for less in overseas markets.

  Fact

Yes, they are. Books sold overseas are priced to the individual markets. These sales, while small, help publishers recoup some of their investment in producing a textbook. Without overseas sales, the entire price of production would fall on U.S. students, forcing up the price they pay.

PIRG Assertion

Pearson's new 6th Campbell's Biology was found to be 97% more expensive than a used copy.

Fact

Yes, new books, like new cars, cost more than old ones. On average, used books are sold in bookstores at 75% of the price of a new book.

PIRG Assertion

Thomas Learning should produce an online version of their Calculus textbook.

Fact

Publishers have produced hundreds of online books, but there is virtually no demand for online textbooks, according to the National Association of College Stores.

PIRG Assertion

Thomson Learning's Calculus: Early Transcendentals was issued after three years at a cost of $134.96

Facts

The new edition of this textbook was issued after four years with extensive revisions that cost the publisher more than $1 million. This book is used for three semesters. That means the student is paying $44.98 per semester for the book. Because the book is so popular, bookstores will buy it back for 50 percent of the original price, $67.48. Therefore, the student would actually spend $22.50 per semester to use the book.

"Since we pioneered low cost, print series of textbooks and offer the greatest range of choices, I find it puzzling that PIRG continues to target us specifically," said Susan Badger, CEO of Thomson Higher Education. "Our ongoing mission at Thomson Learning has always been and will remain to give our customers exactly what they want. This approach is what has enabled titles like Serway Physics and Stewart Calculus to be best selling titles year in and year out."

PIRG failed to point out that this book is offered in a tremendous variety of options for instructors to choose from, not the sole option PIRG suggests. The price for these options begins at less then $30 net price. PIRG also neglected to mention that Thomson Learning gave professors the option of staying with the old edition for an extra year. Some chose to do so, and some wanted to change immediately to the new edition to take advantage of the improved integration of technology, new teaching and learning aids for students and professors, and new examples, problems, and other updates. PIRG has also ignored or attacked recent third-party research by Zogby International that showed that 80 percent of 1,029 college faculty said it is important for textbook materials to be as current as possible. The same survey established that 62 percent of college faculty said they prefer to order texts with the most recent copyright date. Of those college instructors who expressed an opinion, 62 percent said they were satisfied with how frequently new textbook editions are released, or said they are not released frequently enough, according to the Zogby study.

"Publishers determine the revision schedule for every book on an individual basis. However, publishers typically produce a new version every three to four years to reflect substantial changes in subject matter, improve pedagogy or enhance teaching tools and techniques. The market itself determines whether a revision is necessary. Some revised texts fail, while others help publishers increase market share. If a new edition was not necessary, professors wouldn't adopt the new book, forcing it off the market. A professor could, instead, choose a different text from the wide variety of options that publishers provide," added Schroeder.

"Publishers do not set used book buy-back policies or prices. And because new editions are offered on average only every three to four years, students on a four-quarter system have 12 to 16 chances to sell their books and recoup part of their investment," said Schroeder.

The Association of American Publishers is the national trade association of the U.S. book publishing industry. AAP's approximately three hundred members include most of the major commercial book publishers in the United States, as well as smaller and nonprofit publishers, university presses, and scholarly societies.

SOURCE: The Association of American Publishers

CONTACT: Bruce Hildebrand at +1-202-220-4542 or
Stacy Scarazzo at +1-202-220-4556