University of Ottawa Undergraduate Students Textbook Affordability Survey: Results and Findings (2023)

Abstract

The outcome of a joint project between the University of Ottawa Library and the University of Ottawa Students' Union (UOSU), this report provides an overview of the results of a survey conducted at the University of Ottawa on textbook affordability in 2023. Supplementing prior activities conducted by the Library on the same topic, the main purpose of this survey was to investigate student textbook purchasing behaviours, particularly in relation to textbook costs. In cases where respondents to the survey indicated that they had not purchased one or more required textbooks for their courses, the survey sought to identify any alternative solutions used by students, as well as the impact of such behaviour on student success. Overall, the survey results suggest that there is a strong link between textbook cost and student textbook purchasing behaviour, and that foregoing the acquisition of a textbook carries significant consequences for many students.