BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Faculty at California State University, Bakersfield are working to lower the cost of course materials to zero.

CSUB began participating in the California State University Affordable Learning $olutions initiative in 2013.

The goal of AL$ is to provide students with easy access to quality, low- or no-cost textbooks.

The initiative has saved CSUB students upwards of $1,521,197.

The AL$ initiative is led by associate librarian Sandra Bozarth in the Walter W. Stiern Library.

This spring, the Child, Adolescent and Family Studies Department received a $10,000 award made available through AL$ for having the most courses with no- or low-cost textbook adoptions for the 2019-20 academic year.

By offering only zero cost course materials for every course, they have saved CSUB students a total of $221,410 in one academic year.

The department savings over a two-year period is $279,410.

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