WCSU library receives $5K grant for purchasing textbooks

The Western Connecticut State University’s (WCSU) library has been awarded a $5,000 grant by the Jane T. Muhlethaler Foundation Inc., a private independent foundation in Fairfield County, to purchase textbooks for core business classes.

This is the second grant from the Muhlethaler Foundation in support of the textbook project, which seeks to alleviate the financial burden associated with the high cost of textbooks, making required materials accessible to all. WCSU noted the average business textbook now costs $180, and professors often require more than one textbook per class. However, this creates an onerous burden on many students – approximately 49% of WCSU students are from historically underrepresented minority populations, 34% are low-income, and 29% are the first generation in their families to go to college.

The Muhlethaler Foundation grant plus matching WCSU library funds will keep the collection of textbooks for the five business disciplines — marketing, management, finance and economics, accounting and management information systems — current through this summer.