At Akademos, we understand that the textbook and course materials landscape is always changing. There seems to be a new model that promotes textbook affordability for students everyday. In the midst of the rising popularity of Open Educational Resources (OER) and Inclusive Access (IA), equitable access is only just emerging. So what exactly is it, and how does it enable student success? Check out our infographic below!

Prior to the Internet and eCommerce capabilities, college students had limited choices when it came to obtaining their textbooks: they either bought textbooks and course materials from the campus bookstore or they went without, the latter a somewhat unlikely choice given the relative affordability of textbooks in the past.

Fast forward to more recent history and, while most students can still buy from the campus bookstore, off-campus retailers like Amazon, eBay, and other platforms have captured more and more textbook sales by offering students lower prices and more convenient shopping options.