Library News

How to maximise access to electronic content for students’ recommended reading

LLS is trying to maximise the amount of e-content on Resource Lists as the implications of COVID-19 are impacting on physical access and borrowing and students will increasingly be working remotely.

However, there are many reasons why we are unable to purchase everything electronically. Below, we try to dispel some of the commonly held myths/misunderstandings about ebooks, provide some tips on how to enhance access, and discuss how we can work together to help students access the material that they need.

Myths

Myth 1: Isn’t every book is available as an e-book?

Unfortunately not.  Many academic books are not published as e-books. Publishers become worried about their revenue and for this reason often do not make core textbooks available. Research from GOBI Library Solutions shows that approximately only 62% of titles were published simultaneously in print and e-book editions with differentiation across subject areas. So, you cannot rely on all your usual recommendations being available electronically.

Myth 2: The library always has access to the ebook where one exists

LLS has an e-first policy, so wherever possible we will buy an electronic copy of a text as default. However, not all ebooks are available via the specific suppliers that we work with, or in some cases the cost of the ebook is too prohibitive to buy.

Myth 3: Every book is available as an e-book and is cheaper than a printed books 

Unfortunately not. E-books  are often only available via expensive subscription models / as part of premium subscription packages. Subscription costs are usually made up of a unit cost multiplied by the number of students needing to use the book, and in some cases the costs are recurrent each year. This can make the most high use / most useful texts the most expensive. 

Example
A psychology textbook is available at £50.99 for a print copy. The ebook of the new edition costs £400 for a single user licence.

Myth 4: Multiple users can access an ebook at the same time

This depends - licences and associated costs for e-books vary considerably. The main types of licence include:
•    Single user licence (only one concurrent viewer)
•    3 user licence (up to 3 users can view the book concurrently)
•    Unlimited user licence (any number of users can view the book concurrently)
•    ‘Seat credit’ model where the library is charged for every student who views the book online
Costs can vary widely (even for a single user licence).  Acquiring multiple user accesses inevitably means paying more and can very quickly become costly so an evaluation will need to be made against usage needs and value for money.

Example
An accounting textbook is available using a seat credit licence @ £21 per seat. For 1000 students, this equates to £21,000 for access to one single textbook

Myth 5: If there is a version for Kindle or similar, the Library can purchase and make this version available. 

No – Kindle books or ebooks via similar personal devices are licensed for individual purchase to be used on that specific device. The Library can only purchase and make available e-books with an institutional licence via University authentication (single sign-on). Not all books for Kindle or other devices are also available with an institutional licence. 

Myth 6: Ebooks available via the library can be downloaded or printed

Not necessarily – copyright exists to protect the revenue and intellectual property of the author or publisher and most ebooks are subject to “digital rights management”. This means that only sections of an ebook can be downloaded or printed, for example, a chapter or a page range. There are some exceptions to this rule and it depends on the individual publisher and ebook title.

Tips for success

Given these constraints, how can you enable access to key readings for your students, wherever they are based?

Tip 1: Create a Resource List

It is university policy that every module should have a Resource List which is reviewed and updated as appropriate every year. This enables students to have easy access to all the recommended texts and direct links to e-content can be made available. Resource Lists can be linked to from the Blackboard module shell enabling seamless access for students. This can also help you stay copyright legal.

If you have not yet created a Resource List for your module, please do so as soon as possible to enable our team to process lists and purchase resources in time for the start of term.
More information is available on how to create a Resource List and your subject librarian can provide you with help and support. 

Tip 2: Talk to your subject librarian

Subject librarians may be able to source ebook copies for your recommended texts, or provide recommendations of potential alternatives that are available online.

Tip 3: Use existing Library collections to build your list 

The library has access to over 500,000 ebooks so wherever possible use our existing collection to recommend texts.

Wherever possible, try not to be too wedded to a particular book as it may not be available electronically, or may be too expensive to buy. As print access is currently compromised due to Covid-19, this can support your students in accessing material wherever they are in the world. 

There are two ways to check if your book is currently available electronically:
•    Library Search
Search by author, title or subject area and filter your search to books/ebooks and full-text online 

 
•    E-Resources Portal
You can search for books only, and search either by author, title, or subject area.

If you are not sure if the library subscribes to an ebook, please contact your subject librarian.

Tip 4: Make use of chapter scans

You can request a chapter to be scanned and uploaded to your Resource List. Selecting single chapters from a range of key textbooks enables you to build an online list based on printed books. (Note: only 1 chapter or 10% of any individual book can be scanned per reading list and not all publishers will allow for digitisation).

Digitisations must be requested via the library to allow us to abide by the Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) regulations. Information on requesting a digitisation is available.

Tip 5: Consider Open Access options

There are a number of repositories of Open Access Textbooks which might provide an alternative to an expensive subscription e-book. Try: open text book resources for ideas and links to a wide range of platforms.

Tip 6: Link to the library’s subscribed e-versions

You may find publishers providing details of their ebooks on their websites. However, unless these have been made available in an open access format, the full book will not be available. So, make sure you link to the library’s subscribed version in your Resource Lists. Talk to your subject librarian if you are not sure how to do this.

Do not link to any personal copies, or PDFs. This will help you to stay copyright legal. Saving or downloading a PDF is for your own personal use.  This does not extend to sharing with anyone else.  Uploading a PDF to Blackboard would constitute sharing and be in breach of copyright law. 

Instead, either provide a link to the library subscribed version of the PDF, or request a digitisation via the DMU Resource List system. The Resource List can then be linked to your Blackboard module shell or embedded in any material that you are using.

Tip 7: Investigate other ways of utilising texts within teaching

There may be instances when you wish to use an extract from a book in a synchronous online session, but we may not have multiple concurrent licences available. Rather than spending money on concurrent licences which detracts from purchasing additional books, you could try to organise your teaching in a different way. For example: 
•    Ask students to read the extract in advance with a lead in time.
•    Request a digitisation of the chapter (within copyright restrictions) and direct students to the Resource List.
•    Share your screen during the session to show the extract. In these cases, make sure you are using the university subscribed version, rather than your own PDF. See more information in tip 5 for keeping yourself copyright legal.

Tip 8: Talk to us before talking to publishers

Often publishers will approach you to discuss ebook options, for example, creating a bespoke textbook utilising chapter from different textbooks. Please speak to your subject librarian in these instances to ensure that the publisher is providing you with a cost-effective solution and that the library is able to afford the purchase of these types of textbook options.

What LLS is doing to help

Our Resource List team is checking items for e-book availability.  Where an ebook is not available, one print copy will be purchased. Where an ebook subscription price is unaffordable, our subject librarians will contact you to discuss other alternatives. We have altered our normal book buying formulas to enable funds to be directed to maximising electronic access as much as possible.

The library subscribes to a number of large e-book packages from key publishers. We are also working with a number of ebook suppliers to increase the range of ebooks that we can access.

We monitor ebook usage so that further licences can be purchased (subject to budget) for in-demand titles. We also monitor reservations for print items and we can purchase additional copies subject to demand.

How you can help in the longer term

When you write an academic book for publication, check the publishers’ plans for your book and insist that it is published in e-book format in an affordable way.

Can you make an Open Access copy of articles / chapters / books you have written available, for example, by depositing a pre-print / pre-publication version in DORA? You can then link to them from your reading list. This will be dependent on what has been agreed with the publisher. Contact our repository librarian for help.