SUNY Canton’s Southworth Library Expands Student Textbook Access

Beginning this fall, SUNY Canton’s Southworth Library will offer students semester-long access to textbooks as part of the new RooSource Textbook Program.

“With textbook prices soaring, more students are relying on our library’s resources to access the materials they need,” said Interim Library Director Jessica M. Spooner. “Online students often require physical copies of their texts. We will be able to ship copies to them for the duration of their course.”

Library staff partnered with the SUNY Canton College Foundation, Inc., to create the program. Foundation Board Member Laura Rozell, a 1969 graduate, donated the initial funding to launch the new initiative.

“As a SUNY Canton alumna, I know firsthand how important it is for students to have access to the right resources,” Rozell said. “I’m proud to support a program that empowers students to succeed.”

Funds will be used to obtain textbooks, increase the availability of digital texts, resources requiring expensive single-use access codes, and ultimately ensure students have the tools they need to achieve their academic goals.

rThe initiative is the latest expansion of the college’s successful Textbook Reserve Collection, which includes texts students can borrow for up to two hours. In the past academic year, approximately 2,300 students used the books in this collection.

“At SUNY Canton, we make every effort to provide textbooks to our students at no cost or the lowest cost possible,” said SUNY Canton Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Peggy A. De Cooke, who provides funding for the traditional textbook program. “Our initiatives have already demonstrated a profound impact, and we anticipate that the RooSource Textbook program will reach an even greater audience. It is an exceptional new resource, especially for our online students.”

SUNY Canton’s library has been providing textbooks for more than 15 years. The current collection includes resources for nearly every major at the college, and students can check them out for up to two hours at a time. The college also encourages faculty to use open educational resources when applicable. All these programs are designed to reduce the costs associated with attending college. 

Students can apply to check out a textbook through the RooSource Application on the college’s library website.

The Southworth Library is a part of the SUNY Canton Learning Commons, which also includes the Betty J. Evans Tutoring Center and the Academic Recovery Program. The Learning Commons’ holistic mission is to provide the campus community with access to resources, technology and services that promote teaching and learning.