In ancient Greece, textbooks were used specifically for educational purposes. While they are still used for education, the format and content of textbooks has become standardized with mass production.
The majority of higher education settings require students find and pay for their own textbooks, which are chosen by the instructors. Most students can expect to pay high prices for their books at the school bookstore, even if they manage to find used copies.
In some European countries, while students pay for their books, education costs nothing or is relatively inexpensive.
Many textbooks are no longer sold by themselves. Publishers have begun to sell "bundled" textbooks, which include CD-ROMs, online bonus material and supplemental workbooks. Most books offered in bundles cannot be purchased separately.
A bill was passed in Congress in July 2008 that will help control how publishers bundle their books and disclose prices, thus protecting college students from unfair prices.
The number of American brick-and-mortar textbook publishers has dwindled over the years to only a handful. Reliance on technology has led to "open textbooks," which are openly licensed versions of textbooks that may be viewed online or downloaded.
The Internet is the greatest networking tool man has ever known and extremely favorable for those in the textbook market. Many websites offer new textbooks for a fraction of the price the publisher is asking. There are others that allow people to sell their used copies for far less than going to a bookstore.