What is the Longhorn Textbook Access (LTA) program?

The Longhorn Textbook Access (LTA) program is a new initiative that will significantly reduce the cost of course materials for students by using digital technology, while also allowing faculty to select the textbook and other course materials that best help meet course objectives. It is a collaboration between UT Austin, the University Co-op, and textbook publishers. Participation in the program is optional for both students and faculty.

How does Longhorn Textbook Access work?

• You will begin using the LTA materials in Canvas and pay for them on What I Owe.

• If your instructor has selected the LTA version of the course textbook, which includes a digital textbook and can also include supplemental online materials such as homework managers, study guides, etc., it will be available to you through the “My Textbooks” tab in Canvas as soon as the instructor makes the course’s Canvas site available. This tab will also show you the price of the course materials, including state sales tax. There is no need to go to the Co-op or the Co-op’s website.

• If you prefer to buy the course materials in some other way, just click the “Opt Out” button. This indicates that you agree to get access to the required course materials another way and you will not have access to this digital textbook or related materials. The 12th class day during the fall and spring semesters and 4th class day during summer semesters are the last day you can make this election. Until then, you can opt out and opt back in as many times as you want to.

• After the 12th class day during the fall and spring semesters and 4th class day during summer semesters, if you are still enrolled in the course and have not opted out of the LTA materials, the cost of the LTA course materials will be added to your What I Owe account. You are responsible for paying for the digital course materials if you did not opt out by the 12th class day during the fall and spring semesters and 4th class day during summer semesters.

• You have until the 20th class day during fall and spring semesters and the 15th class day during summer semesters to make payment for the LTA materials in What I Owe. If you have not paid by the 20th class day during fall and spring semesters and the 15th class day during summer semesters, the charge will be removed from What I Owe and you will no longer have access to the LTA materials for that semester.

Do all courses participate in the LTA program?

Some faculty members may choose not to participate, or may not be able to as the required text is not available in digital format. In that case, the LTA program would not be available for that course and acquisition of course materials would proceed in the traditional manner.

Where can I find all of my assigned course materials, and how do I know which are available through Longhorn Textbook Access?

All of the assigned course materials that your instructors have reported to the University Co-op will be listed on the “My Textbooks” tab in Canvas. The tab is available on each of your class Canvas sites, and it lists the assigned materials for all courses for which you are registered. LTA courses can be identified by the “Opt Out” button that appears beside it (more on opting out below).

You will also receive a “Welcome to Longhorn Textbook Access” email from the Co-op before classes begin for each course that has LTA materials. This message will include only LTA course materials and you will be able to opt out of LTA materials from a link in the message.

A list of required course materials is also available on the Co-op website, but it does not include the ability to opt out of LTA course materials.

How do I know what Longhorn Textbook Access materials cost?

The “My Textbooks” tab in Canvas will indicate the price of the course materials. The price shown includes state sales taxes of 8.25%. The link in the Co-op welcome email will also include this information.

What if I find a lower price somewhere else for the same package of course materials included in Longhorn Textbook Access on the Canvas site?

If you buy the materials from an alternate source, it’s important that you receive the materials before the 12th class day during the fall and spring semesters and 4th class day during summer semesters so that you can also opt out of the LTA materials through Canvas before the deadline.

If you find lower pricing on new materials elsewhere, we would appreciate your letting us know by contacting the Co-op’s LTA help line. Our goal is to provide the most affordable options for our Longhorn community.

Note that for price comparison you should consider all of the elements specified by your instructor. Used textbooks and rentals usually don’t include the online support materials (such as homework managers and interactive study guides) that your instructor has required because they are considered essential for success in the course.

What if I want a printed version of the textbook?

Printed textbooks are sometimes available for an additional cost. Please contact the Co-op’s LTA help line for more information.

What happens to the Longhorn Textbook Access materials if I drop or withdraw from a course after the 12th class day?

• If you drop or withdraw from the class between the 12th and 20th class days, you should not pay the LTA bill that has been placed in your What I Owe. It will be removed after the 20th class day during fall and spring semesters and the 15th class day during summer semesters, along with your access to the materials.

If you have already paid your LTA bill in What I Owe and then you drop or withdraw from the class between when you pay and the 20th class day during fall and spring semesters and the 15th class day during summer semesters, please contact the Texas One Stop to arrange for a refund.

• After the 20th class day, your payment is not refundable. In some cases the digital textbook (but not online supplements like homework managers, study guides, etc.) may be available for use in future semesters. This varies by publisher. Please contact the Co-op’s LTA help line for more information.

• SUMMER: If you drop or withdraw from the class between the 4th and 15th class days, you should not pay the LTA bill that has been placed in your What I Owe. It will be removed after the 20th class day during fall and spring semesters and the 15th class day during summer semesters, along with your access to the materials.

How long does access to the digital Longhorn Textbook Access materials last?

While online supplements such as homework managers and study guides are only available during the semester for which they were purchased, digital textbooks are sometimes available for longer periods so that they can be accessed for reference in subsequent courses. Please contact the Co-op’s LTA help line for more information.

The items on my “What I Owe” page are not itemized. How do I pay for some LTA items and not others?

You will need to opt out of the materials in Canvas. Changes will be reflected on your “What I Owe” page the following business day (business days are Monday – Friday, excluding holidays)

I opted out of the material in Canvas but my “What I Owe” page is not updated.

Changes will be reflected on your “What I Owe” page the following business day (business days are Monday – Friday, excluding holidays).

Ex. Changes from opting in/out on Wednesday in Canvas will be reflected on your “What I Owe” page on Thursday; Changes from opting in/out on Friday in Canvas will be reflected on your “What I Owe” page on Monday unless it is a holiday, then the changes will be reflected on your “What I Owe” page on Tuesday

What are the 12th and 20th class days?

These dates are very important, as they are deadlines on your ability to opt out (or in) to LTA course materials (12th class day) and when you must pay for your LTA materials in What I Owe (20th class day).

While the actual dates vary from semester to semester, the 1st class day of the semester is the day indicated in the academic calendar on the Registrar’s web site as the day classes begin for the semester. You can count from there, including every day Monday through Friday but omitting any official university holidays (also indicated on the Registrar’s academic calendar).

Why am I automatically opted-in for Longhorn Textbook Access materials?

To receive the lowest commercial price on the digital course materials specified by your instructor, and in order for you to be prepared for your classes, UT and the Co-op have made them available to you through Canvas on or before the first class day.

Other schools using a similar system report that over 95% of students choose to remain opted in to their course materials. Because of this high participation rate, it is much easier for students, and the Co-op, if everyone is opted in by default but given the option to opt out. The high participation rate is also an incentive for publishers to offer lower prices, and a model in which students are opted in by default is generally a condition for getting the very best prices from publishers because it leads to higher participation rates by students.

I have several classes that are participating in the LTA program. Can I opt out of LTA in one class, but participate in the others?

Yes, you can opt out of LTA course materials in each class independent of the others. You only pay for the LTA materials where you have not opted out.

Can I change my mind after I have opted out and opt back in to Longhorn Textbook Access course materials?

Yes. You can change your mind and opt back in to any LTA course materials at the “My Textbooks” tab in your course’s Canvas site until the 12th class day.

What if I find that I want to use the LTA materials, but I opted out and I missed the 12th class day deadline to opt back in?

Please contact the Co-op’s Longhorn Textbook Access help line if you’ve missed the deadline. They will advise you regarding your alternatives.

Can I buy a used book/text, or rent a book/text, and then acquire the online support materials separately, not through the LTA program?

Yes, in most cases you can purchase access to the online support materials separately on the publisher’s website. However, because of our purchasing power, the LTA price, including digital textbook and online support materials, will in many cases be lower than the price of the online support materials alone on the publisher’s site. Please investigate carefully before choosing this route, and don’t forget to opt out of the LTA materials in Canvas if you do this.

Can I get out of being automatically charged for the Longhorn Textbook Access materials?

Yes. Just go to the My Textbooks tab in your course’s Canvas site and click “Opt Out” on any LTA materials any time through the 12th class day.

When do I have to pay for the LTA course materials in What I Owe?

For any classes in which you have not opted out of the LTA course materials, LTA charges will be available for payment under “What I Owe” after the 12th class day. You then have until the 20th class day to make payment. If you do not pay by the 20th class day, you will no longer have access to the unpaid digital course materials and the charge will be removed from What I Owe.

Prior to this occurring, you should have made arrangements for access to the required course materials in a different way. However, if this lack of access is a problem for you, you can contact the Co-op to ask about other ways of accessing the materials. These will always be more expensive than through LTA, which is the lowest commercial price for the materials, so please be sure to pay in What I Owe by the 20th class day if you do not have another way of getting the course materials.

What happens if I don’t pay the Longhorn Textbook Access bill in What I Owe?

>If you have not paid by the 20th class day, the charge will be removed from What I Owe and your access to the LTA materials will end for that semester.

If I forget to pay my Longhorn Textbook Access bill in What I Owe by the 20th class day and my access to the digital LTA materials is stopped, is there any way to get back in?

No. Because of payment commitments to publishers, we cannot extend unpaid access past the 20th class day. Your unpaid access will end irrevocably on that day. You can contact the Co-op to ask about other ways of accessing the materials. The course materials will always be more expensive when not purchased through LTA, so please be sure to pay in What I Owe by the 20th class day if you do not have another way of getting the course materials.

Will I be barred from future registration if I do not pay my LTA materials charge(s)?

No. You have the ability to opt out of the LTA course materials until the 12th class day. After that you are billed in What I Owe. If you do not pay, the charge will be removed and your access to the LTA course material will be cancelled. Please note that no outstanding charges will be reflected on your account and bars related to LTA will not be applied for future semester registration.

Who will I receive communication from about Longhorn Textbook Access?

You will receive an email from Longhorn Textbook Access

How do I use my UT for Me textbook credit for Longhorn Textbook Access materials?

If you are a UT for Me student and wish you use your textbook credit on Longhorn Textbook Access items, the cost for the course materials will be deducted from your UT for Me account balance after the 12th class day.

If you don’t have enough funds in your UT for Me account to cover the cost of your Longhorn Textbook Access course materials, the different will show up on your “What I Owe” page and you will need to pay that by the 20th class day to retain access to your Longhorn Textbook Access course materials.

I’m getting an error when I try to add Longhorn Textbook Access Materials to my Cart on the Co-op’s website.

You will not be able to purchase Longhorn Textbook Access items through the Co-op website. To opt in or out, go through Canvas under the “My Textbooks” tab.

How do I get help with issues related to the LTA program?

Your required course materials, and whether or not to participate in LTA, were chosen by your instructor. For information about LTA course materials and access, please contact the Co-op’s LTA help line for more information.

For information about billing and What I Owe, please contact the Texas One Stop.

Does UT Austin make money on this program?

No. Although the textbook price may include a small fee, these charges go directly to offset administrative costs.

Is my data safe in this program?

Yes. All of the software used to facilitate LTA has been reviewed and approved by the relevant UT Austin units for FERPA (student data privacy), data security, and accessibility.