Post-secondary students in B.C. could end up saving a lot of money on textbooks by going digital.
The B.C. government is making 40 widely used textbooks available for free under an open licensing agreement. The books can be read online or downloaded in electronic format. Students who want or need printed versions can obtain print versions for a fraction of the cost of a traditional textbook.
“By taking advantage of technology, more people can get the learning they need in the knowledge economy and access to new or better jobs,” said John Yap, Minister of Advanced Education, Innovation and Technology.
Cable Green, director of global learning for Creative Commons, a non-profit organization that negotiates licences for the public distribution of copyrighted works, said, “B.C. is leveraging 21st-century technologies and licensing to ensure its citizens have affordable access to high-quality post-secondary textbooks.
“Open licensing on publicly funded content ensures the greatest impact for the public dollar.”
