Equitable Student Success via Library Support for Textbooks

Purpose The cost of course materials to the individual student has increased over the past decade, contributing to educational inequity. Open educational resources (OERs) may be a solution, and research validates their positive impact on student success outcomes (Colvard et al., 2018; Feldstein et al., 2012). Few studies, however, examine the role that library collections play in addressing course materials cost and student success. This paper investigates whether materials costs are a significant factor in course pass rate and whether the library has a positive impact on pass rates. Design/Methodology Using required texts listed in syllabi for select undergraduate courses at California State University, Northridge (CSUN), we compare course materials costs for each course to the pass rate. We then measure the impact of course materials cost on the achievement gap between Pell Grant eligible and non-eligible students. Findings This study confirms previous research indicating that reduced course materials costs has a measurable impact on student success, in that the total minimum cost of required materials has a statistically significant effect on the percentage of students who pass a course. However, course reserves slightly increases the disparity between high-income and low-income students, suggesting that course reserves are a less effective way of supporting the latter compared to OERs. Originality This study is unique in examining the effect of the cost of course materials on students, regardless of the source of cost reductions. Most literature focuses on the qualitative efficacy of OERs instead of measured impact or the relationship between the cost of course materials and student success. The authors investigate the connection between OERs, library engagement, and student success.