Rhode Island announces switch to open-source textbooks
Brown University and Rhode Island College are among seven Rhode Island universities that are switching to open-source textbooks, aiming to save students $5m over the next five years, according to the state governor. College textbook prices have risen by 945% between 1978 and 2014. Open-source materials can be shared and updated, and have been adopted by many universities across the US. Despite their benefits, there are only around 100 open-source textbooks available, according to the Student Public Interest Research Groups.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - In a story Sept. 29 about a textbooks program, The Associated Press, relying on incorrect information supplied by Gov. Gina Raimondo’s office, erroneously reported the amount of money it aims to save. The program aims to save students $5 million total over the next five years, not $5 million annually over that period.

A corrected version of the story is below:

New program aims to ease textbook burden on college students

Gov. Gina Raimondo announced a new program earlier this week that seeks to ease the burden of purchasing expensive textbooks on the state’s college students

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - Gov. Gina Raimondo announced a new program earlier this week that seeks to ease the burden of purchasing expensive textbooks on the state’s college students.

Raimondo said Tuesday that the new Rhode Island Open Textbook Initiative aims to save the state’s students a total of $5 million over the next five years.

The program allows students to download openly licensed textbooks online at no cost.

A pilot of the initiative began earlier this year at Rhode Island College. Raimondo says RIC students saved $100,000 by replacing their traditional biology textbook with an openly licensed text.

The governor says six additional colleges in the state have pledged to support the program and will urge faculty to make the transition.

Officials estimate college students pay an average of $1,200 on textbooks each year.