In 2021, the average annual cost for books and supplies for full-time undergraduate students at a four-year university is $1,240. The prohibitive cost of textbooks and course materials increases student stress and often negatively impacts their ability to achieve academic success. A survey of 1,651 current and former college students, revealed that the financial burden of textbooks led students to skip meals, work long hours, and take out additional loans to purchase course materials. 

At NKU, Steely strives to facilitate student success and alleviate financial stress by providing free access to digital textbooks through the Textbook Affordability Program.  

Through this program, Steely Library has expanded the library catalog with NKU textbooks available for student check out each semester. The materials provided to NKU students during the past two years of the Textbook Affordability Program have the potential to reach 13,113 students, saving them over $1 million in textbook costs.  

Textbooks are identified for purchase according to student savings impact and evaluated by several factors, including course enrollment counts, available licensing, and diverse representation of campus departments. You can access all electronic textbooks via our library catalog.