XplanaZine

Education is expensive enough without posh dorm rooms with king-size beds and plasma TVs. The campus bookstore alone can turn a wallet into a black hole. According to a study by the Government Accountability Office, college textbook prices have risen at twice the rate of inflation over the past 20 years. A study by the National Association of College Stores Foundation found that 65% of students aren’t purchasing all their required course materials.

Students just lost one excuse for not reading if their teachers assign books by Freeload Press. The company offers free downloads of e-textbooks written by notable, previously published academic authors. Students can also order a printed textbook for 50-60% less than competitive textbooks. These free books are made possible through embedded advertisements by companies including Discover Card, Price Waterhouse Coopers, and the College Loan Corporation.

Freeload Press is a 4-year-old company with a growing number of higher education textbooks in multiple disciplines, geared toward first or second year courses where textbooks are traditionally the most expensive. CEO Tom Doran projects that in the near future, Freeload Press will substantially expand in the areas of business, social sciences, and sciences.

Some critics argue that embedded advertisements give textbooks a less than scholarly appearance. Proponents of the Freeload textbook model are quick to point out that advertisements appear everywhere today, from campus kiosks to Internet pop-ups. Furthermore, the advertisements are strategically placed at the beginning or end of chapters, so as not to distract the reader. Most importantly, though, is the fact that Freeload Press books are written by credible authors with a preexisting readership, and go through a similar developmental process as traditional textbooks. It’s the distribution that’s different.

Currently, 200 instructors are assigning Freeload Press books from institutions across the U.S., ranging from small community colleges to renowned institutions including Carnegie Mellon and the University of Michigan. Even some U.S.-based study abroad programs and overseas military bases are using the products. Altogether, students from over 1,900 colleges have downloaded Freeload Press books, whether required by their instructors or for their own benefit as supplemental reading. After experiencing the product, many users return to the Freeload Press Web site to leave a comment expressing their gratitude.

Sources:
www.freeloadpress.com
Telephone interview with Tom Doran, October 10, 2007