eBooks as Course Materials Demonstrating Value with Free

e-Books as Course Materials Demonstrating Value with “Free” Textbooks Mike Waugh, Systems Librarian David Comeaux, Web Development Librarian Emily Frank, Instructional Technologies Librarian Louisiana State University Libraries

Learning Objectives • Identify e-books that have licensing terms that are most beneficial for course use • Match course materials with titles available to the library • Begin developing an e-textbooks platform • Promote an e-textbook initiative • Evaluate the library’s role in providing course-related textbooks

Evolving Textbook Strategy • No textbooks policy • Collection development • ILL • Course reserves • Faculty-driven • Digital initiatives • Library-driven • Remove barriers to essential academic materials

Learning Objectives • Identify e-books that have licensing terms that are most beneficial for course use

The 3 criteria • DRM free • Unlimited users • Perpetual access

The 3 criteria • DRM free • Frustration free packaging • Unlimited users • Can be used in a class • Perpetual access • Can be re-used

Learning Objectives • Match course materials with titles available to the library

Publishers • The Big 5 • • • Elsevier JSTOR Project MUSE Springer Wiley • Also • Cambridge University Press • Taylor & Francis (including CRC Press and Routledge) • UPSO

Identify • E-books we already own that are being used in classes. • E-books that are available through these publishers that are not yet being used in classes - but potentially could be.

Identify • Promote these to students: • E-books we already own that are being used in classes. • E-books that are available through these publishers that are being used in classes. • Promote these to faculty: • E-books that are available through these publishers that are not yet being used in classes - but potentially could be

Technical hurdles • • • Metadata from the publishers are in different formats Lots of data Identify what’s being used in classes ISBN matching for related ISBNs Automating processes • Reduce error • Handle scale • Speed

Bookstore list • The Higher Education Opportunity Act (Public Law 110 -315) • Section 133. Textbook Information • http: //www. gpo. gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-110 publ 315/pdf/PLAW 110 publ 315. pdf . . . to encourage. . . institutions of higher education [and] bookstores. . . to work together to identify ways to decrease the cost of college textbooks. . .

Bookstore list

Matching

Matching • Find multiple ISBNs using the OCLC x. ISBN webservice • http: //xisbn. worldcat. org/xisbnadmin/index. htm • Allows users to query “FRBRized” World. Cat information to find all manifestations of a work • get. Editions returns a list of relevant ISBNs • x. ISBN being deprecated?

Matching

Matching

Matching

Learning Objectives • Begin developing an e-textbooks platform

E-Textbook Web Development Timeline • Fall 2014: • E-Textbooks for Students v. 1 • Fall 2015: • E-Textbooks for Students v. 2 • E-Textbooks for Instructors v. 1 (“soft launch”) • Spring 2016 • E-Textbooks for Students v. 2. 1 • E-Textbooks for Instructors v. 2

E-Textbooks for Students v 1

E-Textbooks for Students v 1 • Static html page • Used jquery to filter by course name • Time-consuming to build, but did not require any special technologies

E-Textbooks for Students v 2

E-Textbooks for Students v 2 • Instead of manually creating each item as html code, the information is added to a csv spreadsheet. The spreadsheet is imported into Drupal, and automagically generates a searchable display page.

E-Textbooks for Students v 2 • In Drupal, we created a custom content type for this information. (easy-peasy) • this could also be done with custom programming

E-Textbooks for Students v 2 • Next, I created a feed importer, that matches the fields in the csv file to the fields in the content type • SQL insert query

E-Textbooks for Students v 2 • Using the magic of Drupal’s Views module, I can easily display any information from the records, and even add searchable filters on any field. We’ve chosen to allow to search by Instructor, Course Number, Course Title and Book Title.

Assessment • The first stage of assessment was an analysis of Google Analytics. • Analytics provided information such as search terms and frequency of use.

Student Page Analytics - Fall 2014

Student Page Analytics - Fall 2015

Analytics Assessment - Instructors We also analyzed the usage of the Instructors search page, to look for use patterns.

User Testing • Instructors v 1 • Students v 2 • Instructors v 2

User Testing Students v 2 • students were able to find items with ease, but • one major improvement derived from testing was the addition of a field that searches by department

User Testing We conducted a test on Instructors v. 1, which looked like this:

Student Government • Presented initiative as promotion • Enhance e-textbooks platform • $10, 000 funding

User Testing Then we conducted a test on Instructors v. 2, which looked essentially like this:

User Testing We also made changes to the results. . .

Learning Objectives • Promote an e-textbook initiative

Promotion • Student-directed contact • Facebook groups • Paper slips • Contact affected faculty • Permalink • Link to page (www. lib. lsu. edu/ebooks) • Liaisons

Promotion

Promotion • LMS integration

Learning Objectives • Evaluate the library’s role in providing course-related textbooks

Fall 2014 -Spring 2016 • Fall, spring, summer, fall, spring • $1. 4 million in savings • Assumes full enrollment • Gross—does not subtract our costs • Undergraduate costs for academic year: • $1, 500 annually on books and supplies

Fall 2014 -Spring 2016 Fall 2014 Spring 2015 Summer 2015 Fall 2015 Spring 2016 Textbooks: 66 104 4 130 122 Classes: 60 113 4 164 114 Students at 2, 270 full enrollment: 2, 379 150 4, 888 4, 566 Savings: $288, 411. 90 $12, 067. 00 $476, 263. 15 $478, 763. 24 $161, 863. 42

LSU Libraries’ Cost • Packages: • • Majority of the titles Wiley: ~$17/title Project Muse: ~$10/title Springer • Print: purchased 1/3 of output for same cost • Springer e-books have more circ than entire print collection • Title-by-title • 2015 spring: 28 titles for $7, 000 • 2016 spring: 17 titles for $3, 900

LSU Libraries’ Cost • MATH 2065 and MATH 2070: Ordinary Differential Equations • $79. 95 new • Used by 28 sections and 1, 207 students across 4 semesters • Cost for all classes to purchase = $96, 500 • Access through Springer • Aug. -Dec. 2015: ~20, 000 chapter-level, platform-reported uses • AGRO 7165/OCS 7165: Biogeochemistry of Wetland Soils and Sediments • $179. 95 new, used spring 2015 and 2016 • Cost for all classes (56 students) to purchase = $10, 077 • $283 for LSU Libraries

Feedback Survey • In general, how willing would you be to use a free e-book version of a required textbook? Spring 2015 Fall 2015 # of Responses 116 73% Very willing Somewhat willing 34 21% Somewhat unwilling 8 Very unwilling Answer Very willing Total # of Responses 78 88% Somewhat willing 11 12% 5% Somewhat unwilling 0 0% 1 1% Very unwilling 0 0% 159 100% Total 89 100% % Answer %

Feedback Survey • How did you read the e-textbook (select all that apply) Spring 2015 Fall 2015 # of Responses 20 % Answer 27% Phone Tablet / ereader 20 27% Desktop / laptop 69 Printed out 11 Answer Phone # of Responses 5 9% Tablet / ereader 17 30% 93% Desktop / laptop 52 93% 15% Printed out 6 11% %

Feedback Survey • Describe your experience using the e-textbook: (select all that apply) Spring 2015 Fall 2015 Answer # of Responses % It was easy to use 59 80% I preferred it over a print textbook 25 34% I would have preferred a print textbook It was difficult or frustrating to use This e-textbook saved me money I didn't save much money because I printed out the etextbook Other: 17 23% 7 9% 56 76% 2 3% 4 5% Answer # of Responses % It was easy to use 47 84% I preferred it over a print textbook 13 23% 8 14% 2 4% 42 75% 0 0% 4 7% I would have preferred a print textbook It was difficult or frustrating to use This e-textbook saved me money I didn't save much money because I printed out the etextbook Other:

Why LSU Libraries? • Is this the library’s role? • Alignment with strategic priorities • Retention, cost • Competitive funding environment • Meaningful use of collections • E-textbooks help us promote e-book packages • Role of academic library: • • Access and discoverability Publishing and licensing Subjects specialists Curriculum integration

Challenges • Editions • On 3 -4 year cycle for new editions • Still saying no a lot • Mc. Graw Hill, Pearson • Desirable e-supplements of traditional publishers • Influence faculty textbook selections • Faculty like current system just fine • E-book metadata • Lack of standardization • Lack of licensing information in metadata

Moving Forward • Textbook lists from multiple campuses, finding crossover, exploring multi-institutional agreements • “Whole state is interested in buying X” • Pool resources, negotiate • LSU faculty textbook authors • Pitch alternative to publishing • OER adoption

Questions www. lib. lsu. edu/ebooks http: //lib. lsu. edu/ebooks/faculty Emily Frank: efrank 7@lsu. edu Mike Waugh: mwaugh 2@lsu. edu Dave Comeaux: davidcomeaux@lsu. edu