This Road to "Free" is Paved with Misinformation

WASHINGTON, Oct. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- There's no such thing as a "free" textbook, although one organization is trying to sell that concept.

The 20 Million Minds Foundation, a group representing numerous open-source publishing funders, produced an infographic about new California bills that support funding for the development of "free college textbooks."  Simple fact-checking proves its voodoo math and trumped-up claims. 

For example:

--these "free" textbooks will, in fact, cost California taxpayers, including college students, tens of millions of dollars to develop, distribute and maintain

--the initial funding is not going toward the creation of textbooks for "50 ... courses" but the development of some unstated lesser number of "strategically selected textbooks"

--no credible report or source supports the inflated, seven-year-old figures for student spending or textbook publishing touted by the infographic

... and so on and so on and so on. Follow the Association of American Publishers roadmap that shines a light on the falsehoods and provides the facts here.

CONTACT:
Amanda M. Straub
202-220-4550
astraub@publishers.org

SOURCE Association of American Publishers

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