Textbooks

Students are responsible for the purchase of required textbooks, course materials, and/or supplies in preparation for the semester. Information on required textbooks and materials can be found on the class syllabus in JagNet or Blackboard or on the STC Bookstore website. For information on required materials before the first day of class, students are encouraged to contact their instructor.

STC Bookstore

The South Texas College (STC) bookstore, contracted with Barnes & Noble College Booksellers LLC, is located on the Pecan Campus can be accessed in person or online. Required textbooks and other instructional materials can be purchased here or from other retailers. Textbook information is typically made available by March/April for the Summer and Fall semesters, and October for the Spring semester.

HB 1096 – Notice Regarding Availability of Textbooks through Multiple Retailers

To comply with HB 1096 (81st Legislature of Texas) Section 51.9705, South Texas College advises that a student of this institution is under no obligation to purchase a textbook from a college-affiliated bookstore. The same textbook may also be available from an independent retailer, including an online retailer.

Zero Textbook Cost

Texas Education Code (section 51.451) defines OER as “teaching, learning, or research resources that are in the public domain or that have been released under an intellectual property license that permits their free use, adaptation, and redistribution by any person. The term may include full course curricula, course materials, modules, textbooks, media, assessments, software, and any other tools, materials, or techniques, whether digital or otherwise used to support access to knowledge.”

Textbooks can be a significant expense for your college education, and many courses require at least one textbook. As per STC’s policy on intellectual property, the College promotes the development and use of Open Educational Resources (OER) to reduce barriers to student success and encourages open sharing of the creative and innovative work of our faculty. The College demonstrates our commitment to providing quality education while keeping costs low through course offerings that:

  • do not require a textbook; or
  • use Open Education Resources (OER); or
  • provide the learning materials1 for use at no cost to the student

Students can use the Course Search with the “Zero Textbook Cost” option to locate these class offerings when registering.

1

Excludes supplies such as calculators, specialized equipment, etc.