Affordable access programs are an innovative collaboration between private sector publishers, provisioning providers, and higher education institutions. The Association of American Publishers commissioned the independent analysis from Tyton Partners to provide insight into the programs, which have now been available for almost 10 years. Tyton Partners is responsible for all findings and undertook all aspects of the research, including interviews and statistical analyses, according to the firm’s rigorous, independent standards. Distributors Barnes & Noble College, Follett, RedShelf, and VitalSource contributed anonymized course materials pricing data directly to Tyton Partners. The report, which presents data from 1,088 colleges and universities in the United States, is the first in-depth analysis of affordable access programs in practice since their inception nearly a decade ago. The findings confirm that course materials are more affordable than they were a decade ago, making them a remarkable exception to the rising cost of higher education overall. “We are proud of the extraordinary commitment of private sector publishers to deliver high-quality course materials at reduced costs, a reflection of their expertise and innovations in the education-technology space,” commented Maria A. Pallante, President and CEO, Association of American Publishers. “The result is that students can access materials without delay on virtually every subject area assigned by their professors and are all the more prepared to meet a changing, global workforce that will need their knowledge and skills.”

No such thing as too much good news… Right? Congratulations to our New York office for their double win at the Min - Magazine Awards last week. The National for Amtrak won “Launch of the year” and Rhapsody for United won "Cover of the Year" for a beautiful shoot with Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne by Jason Bell. Magazine Launch for the National Cover Design Portfolio - for Rhapsody Also in the pipeline are the upcoming Eddie and Ozzie in October where we have a phenomenal and unprecedented 11 nominations. Is it the taking part right? Congratulations to the Oryx, American Way, Hemispheres, The National and Mabuhay teams and to Kerstin Zumstein and Jamie Trendall for their personal nominations for editor and designer of the year respectively. The Awards ceremony will be held in New York in mid-October and we have our fingers crossed in anticipation. Click Read More below for more of the story.

Adaptive learning company HMH today announced a refreshed brand that reflects its commitment to accelerating dynamic learning and helping educators create growth for every student. This refresh marks a significant milestone in HMH's evolution, underscoring its promise to integrate the best of technology with the best of in-class instruction to support student success. This is represented by a new visual identity and streamlined name — HMH. “Just as there isn’t one kind of student, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to education. Educators need an intuitive digital ecosystem that helps drive momentum, growth and continuous learning for every student,” said Jack Lynch, HMH CEO. “Everything we do at HMH is in service of creating thriving classrooms built on meaningful student-teacher relationships.”