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I bought very few textbooks (Physics degree) but heavily used the ones available in the library, clearly YMMV.

Doesn’t matter if the school has the book in the library: you have to pay the publisher to access and submit the homework (the homework is not in the book, only online)

Probably showing my age here but there was no electronic submission of homework back then.

I take your point that if the e-books are available via the library, they will charge the library, probably on a pay as you go basis too

Oh yeah, this is a relatively recent approach to killing off the second hand book market. Now I believe you can even buy just the access to assignments/homework for >$100, which is essentially all profit for them, they don't even have to manufacture a book.

I'm only aware of it because my wife went back to school to completely change field (microbiology now, rather than software)

The university doesnt have to use online material from the publisher. Its as much their decision as what books are in the library in which volumes.

However the selling point that Pearson gives is "you don't have to create your own material for the homework and assignments". e.g. save the university money and the professors time.

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