Find No-Cost and Low-Cost Textbook Classes

Courses with this designator do not require students to purchase textbooks, other reading materials, or access codes to online homework and test platforms.

However, classes may still have other fees for lab items, such as goggles, lab coats, art supplies, and other reusable items.

Courses with this designator require students to purchase instructional material with a total list price of no more than $40. This includes textbooks, other reading materials, or access codes to homework platforms.

Supplemental materials that students are not required to buy do not count toward this total. Lab items, such as goggles, lab coats, art supplies, and other reusable items, also do not count toward this total.

Please see the Nevada System of Higher Education’s Policy on Instructional Materials for the official definitions.

Any department or school that chooses to participate and has courses that meet the criteria for No-Cost or Low-Cost Textbooks.

The University wants to make a college degree as affordable and transparent as possible for students. The No-Cost and Low-Cost Textbook designators will help students identify affordable classes upfront, making it easier to plan for expenses when registering.

University students reported in a 2026 study that access to free or low-cost textbooks was one of the most important areas of service to them, second only to the learning management system (WebCampus). The University Faculty Senate also approved a resolution in 2024 supporting course marking for open educational resources.

Courses with this designator do not require students to purchase textbooks, other reading materials, or access codes to homework platforms. Acceptable materials include:

• Open educational resources (OER)
• Anything in the public domain
• Material paid for and licensed by the University Libraries, such as ebooks, journal articles, and streaming video
• Instructor-created materials provided free of charge
• Freely available online content, such as free online articles and videos (although be mindful that access to these may change if removed by the copyright owner)

Courses do not qualify if they require students to purchase books, access codes or other paid similar learning material. However, if all required materials are free and only optional supplemental materials carry a cost, the course can still receive the No Cost Textbooks designation.

Courses with fees for lab items, such as goggles, lab coats, art supplies, and other reusable items can also qualify as long as they do not have textbook or other related costs. Please see the Nevada System of Higher Education’s Policy on Instructional Materials for the official definitions.

Courses with this designator cap must not require students to purchase instructional material that cost a total list price of more than $40. This includes textbooks, other reading materials, or access codes to homework platforms. Acceptable materials include:

• Open educational resources (OER)
• Anything in the public domain
• Material paid for and licensed by the University Libraries, such as ebooks, journal articles, and streaming video
• Instructor-created materials provided free of charge
• Freely available online content, such as free online articles and videos (although be mindful that access to these may change if removed by the copyright owner)

Courses do not qualify if they require students to purchase books, access codes or other paid similar learning material with list prices that total more than $40.

Supplemental materials that students are not required to buy do not count toward this total. Lab items, such as goggles, lab coats, art supplies, and other reusable items, also do not count toward this total.

Please see the Nevada System of Higher Education’s Policy on Instructional Materials for the official definitions.

The best way is to work with your department or school to have your course marked with one of the designators during the regular open periods for class scheduling. We encourage faculty to advocate with their administrators to ensure they’re taking part! However, if this option is not available to you, please email Librarian Teresa Schultz at teresas@unr.edu, and the Libraries will work to share your information with Scheduling.

Faculty interested in designating their course should speak to their department chair or dean. Each department will oversee submitting information about designated courses to Admissions & Records, which will oversee adding the designation. Once a course section is included, anyone can search for it in Class Search by selecting the Course Attribute filter and choosing the "Course Fees" value and then selecting the Course Attribute Value filter and selecting "No Cost Textbooks" or “Low-Cost Textbooks.”

If you are a chair or dean and would like more information about this process, please email either scheduling@unr.edu or Librarian Teresa Schultz at teresas@unr.edu.

• Reduces student costs by helping them identify courses with no or low textbook expenses.
• Supports student recruitment and retention by making college more affordable.
• Aligns with UNR’s Strategic Plan to Strengthen the Pack, ensuring higher education remains accessible.
• Meets NSHE’s Policy on Instructional Materials, which calls for no- and low-cost textbooks to be marked as such.
• Fulfills federal Higher Education Opportunity Act (2008) requirements for transparency in course costs.

The University Libraries fully supports faculty autonomy in selecting the best materials for their courses. While the Libraries offer financial assistance through the Open Educational Resources Professional Development Grant, there is no requirement for faculty to switch to no- or low-cost materials.

We also respect the ability for students to be better informed about their courses when registering and understand that for some of them, the ability to afford course materials can be an important consideration in addition to others. The No- and Low-Cost Textbooks designation program will empower them to make enrollment decisions based on their own needs.

If you do not change the course material, no action is required. If you plan to introduce materials with associated costs that would change the current designator, please consult your chair/dean or email scheduling@unr.edu.