Ventura, CA - Between 1978 and 2013, the cost of college textbooks increased 812 percent*. With the significant cost of today’s textbooks, many students struggle to buy needed books for their classes. To ease their burden, on Aug. 13 at the college’s Library & Learning Resource Center, an expected 1, 000 Ventura College students will borrow up to three textbooks each for the semester through the Textbook Lending Library program.

In addition to the free lending service, the Ventura College Foundation supports a reserve textbook collection of nearly 1,500 books, where students can use the book for two-hour periods within the library. Between the two collections, including books at Ventura College’s Santa Paula campus, nearly 7,000 textbooks are accessible as a free alternative to purchasing books.

“Students are always very grateful for the opportunity to get free textbooks. Some of the students even choose their classes based on the availability of free textbooks,” said Tanya Shaffer, interim learning resources supervisor. “It’s great to see the generosity of the Foundation helping thousands of students achieve their academic goals.”

The Ventura College Foundation annually funds over $50,000 for the Textbook Lending Library. Between the lending library and reserve collection, approximately 9,000 students take advantage of the program.

“The Textbook Lending Library is an important Foundation initiative that greatly increases student success rates and helps keep college more affordable,” said Norbert Tan, executive director of the Ventura College Foundation. “Textbooks account for 72 percent of a two-year college’s tuition cost**, making the program critical for our students.”

The program primarily is supported through the generosity of donors. To make a donation, contact Norbert Tan at (805) 289-6160 or ntan@vcccd.edu.

For more information about the Textbook Lending Library, visit http://bit.ly/1nbWiRE.

Established in 1983, the Ventura College Foundation provides financial support to the students and the programs of Ventura College to facilitate student success and grow the impact and legacy of Ventura College as a vital community asset. The Foundation also hosts the Ventura College Foundation Marketplace, an outdoor shopping experience held every weekend on the Ventura College campus east parking lot. For more information, contact Norbert Tan at (805) 289-6160 or ntan@vcccd.edu. Or visit www.venturacollege.edu/foundation.

*Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics' consumer price index data
**Source: U.S. Government’s Accountability Office