No Textbook Cost Classes

It is a course section where the textbook or other required reading materials are available to students at no cost. Many classes currently offered at MacEwan already fall into this category, particularly at the 300 and 400 level, because the faculty member uses:

• Open educational resources or library-licensed materials selected to align with course learning outcomes
• Resources available on the internet
• Instructor-developed content e.g. , lecture notes, problem sets, and digitally-shared lab manuals
• A combination of the above

Starting March 9, 2026, course sections (classes) identified as having No Textbook Costs will be clearly discoverable in the Class Search and Enroll system through a dedicated "No Textbook Cost" filter. This information will also be available in the Booklist builder on the MacEwan Bookstore website, making it easy for students to identify affordable classes.

Who: your Department Administrator, or email the Bookstore directly at bookstore@macewan.ca
When: as soon as possible. Textbook information is updated on a rolling basis in Class Search and Enroll.

For each term that a course is taught, let your Department Administrator or the Bookstore know that your course is a "No Textbook Cost" course. Be sure to include the following information:

• Course and section
• If using an open textbook, include: Title, Author, ISBN, and Publisher

The "No Textbook Cost" initiative provides several important benefits:

• Faculty Recognition - Acknowledges the work instructors are already doing to provide no-cost learning materials
• Institutional Recognition - Enables data gathering and highlights the university's tangible efforts to promote affordability
• Equity - Addresses affordability disparities, as course material costs disproportionately impact low-income students

Yes. Similar initiatives, also referred to as Zero Textbook Cost programs, already exist at the University of Alberta, Red Deer Polytechnic, and Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

Potentially, yes. There are many factors that influence students' course selection, including fit within class schedule, program requirements, instructor preference, and class start times to name a few. The "No Textbook Cost" designation is simply one of many considerations students may use when making decisions.

Maybe. Students select some courses and sections over others for many reasons including schedule compatibility, program requirements, instructor preference, personal interest, and other reasons. Textbook cost is one factor among many that may influence course selection.

Displaying the cost of every textbook for every course is difficult because it's almost impossible to collect and maintain accurate textbook cost data. The same title can be priced differently depending on where it is purchased. Textbooks have frequent edition updates with corresponding price changes. Many textbooks are not available for purchase at all but only as a digital rental for which the price and duration can change or vary from one provider to another.

If you're interested in exploring affordable alternatives for your course(s), you can use our Textbook Alternative Service for librarian support in finding options that meet your course needs.