FlexBooks

Source

This California-based website offers free, customizable text books for all your students.

 I don't have an account (yet), but the way I understand it is this:

1) Sign up for a free account.
2) Browse the available textbook information, grabbing whatever pages or sections you think you need.
3) Print the pages and assemble the books for your students.
4) Distribute for free.

There are several advantages of using FlexBooks instead of traditional text books. For one thing, the online texts are updated frequently, so you always have the latest information at your fingertips. For another thing, it's free. How much money do you think your school could save if they didn't have to pay for textbooks? And think of all the other things we could spend that money on! :) Third, your students would no longer have to worry about lugging that 10 lb textbook with them, because the teacher might only print the portions she is going to use. Fourth, there's no need to worry about a kid losing the "book," or letting it get caught in the rain. I mean, the only costs are the paper, ink, and staples used to make the book. ...I just think these FlexBooks could revolutionize classroom textbooks...and give eBooks a run for their money!

Of course, there is a slight catch. ...OK. TWO "slight catches." The most important thing is that the FlexBooks are limited at the moment. I assume the company will come out with more as time goes on (where are the literature books?!), but it's limited to just a few books in the following subjects: engineering, math, science, and technology. The other catch is that, since this a California-based company, their textbooks are only guaranteed to align with the California standards. ...But wait. Isn't the US (or, most of it, anyway) about to adopt those Common Core standards? So really, the phrase "California standards" will be obsolete in a couple of years. Those few years should give this FlexBooks company time to add more content! :) I'll be keeping an eye on this site as time goes on....