The current textbook rental pilot program has a broad base of institutional and community support and has already proven to be an effective program. Chabot College Foundation committed $10,000 for rental books for Fall 2009. Chabot has the technology, experienced staffing, and systems in place for accommodating expansion of the textbook program. The College will establish a comprehensive textbook rental program for classes that focus on basic skills, career-technical education, or preparing students for transfer.

The rental program will reduce the cost of the textbooks by 60 percent for at least 20 percent of the total enrollment of 29 targeted courses. Nursing students will have a “rent to own” textbook program for selected classes. The program is sustainable and allows for growth in that much of the rental income will be used to purchase additional rental books. We are evaluating all program costs and income in order to realize cost efficiencies that will ensure sustainability of the program past the grant funding period. The program will evaluate the level of participation using baseline data to determine whether more students have access to required textbooks.

Student success will be measured each term by comparing the success rates of the students who participate in the rental program to the success rates of the other students enrolled in the same targeted classes. Each semester we will review the program’s impact on students, faculty, and administration for interest in and barriers to participation. This model program includes a plan for disseminating best practices, project results, and materials to facilitate replication at other colleges.

ONLINE REFERENCE: 

Textbook Rental Program
   http://www.chabotbookstore.com  

Kathleen Kaser
Project Director

Chabot College
Chabot College Bookstore
25555 Hesperian Blvd.
Hayward, CA 94545
Tel: 510-723-2643
Fax: 510-783-6209