LSU’S E-TEXTBOOKS PROJECT: STRATEGY,
IMPLEMENTATION, AND MOVING FORWARDEMILY FRANK, MIKE WAUGH, DAVID COMEAUX
Communicate Cooperate Collaborate October 7-8, 2015
Communicate Cooperate Collaborate October 7-8, 2015
EVOLVING TEXTBOOK STRATEGY
No textbooks policy
Collection development
ILL
Course reserves
Faculty-driven
Digital initiatives
Remove barriers to essential academic material
Library-driven
Communicate Cooperate Collaborate October 7-8, 2015
THE 3 CRITERIA
DRM free
Unlimited users
Perpetual access
Communicate Cooperate Collaborate October 7-8, 2015
THE 3 CRITERIA
DRM free
Frustration free packaging
Unlimited users
Can be used in a class
Perpetual access
Can be re-used
Communicate Cooperate Collaborate October 7-8, 2015
PUBLISHERS
The Big 5
Elsevier
JSTOR
Project MUSE
Springer
Wiley
Also
Cambridge University Press
CRC Press
Routledge (Taylor & Francis)
UPSO
Communicate Cooperate Collaborate October 7-8, 2015
PUBLISHERS
Title list
Communicate Cooperate Collaborate October 7-8, 2015
BOOKSTORE LIST
The Higher Education Opportunity Act (Public Law 110-315)
Section 133. Textbook Information
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-110publ315/pdf/PLAW-110publ315.pdf
Communicate Cooperate Collaborate October 7-8, 2015
BOOKSTORE LIST
PURPOSE AND INTENT.—The purpose of this section is to ensure that students have access to affordable
course materials by decreasing costs to students and enhancing transparency and disclosure with respect
to the selection, purchase, sale, and use of course materials. It is the intent of this section to
encourage all of the involved parties, including faculty, students, administrators, institutions of
higher education, bookstores, distributors, and publishers, to work together to
identify ways to decrease the cost of college textbooks and supplemental materials
for students while supporting the academic freedom of faculty members to select high quality course
materials for students.
Section 133. Textbook Information
Communicate Cooperate Collaborate October 7-8, 2015
BOOKSTORE LIST
Communicate Cooperate Collaborate October 7-8, 2015
MATCHING
Reg Ex
Publisher
List
ISBNs
only
Bookstore
List
ISBNs
only
Publisher
List
.xls
Bookstore
List
Reg Ex
Communicate Cooperate Collaborate October 7-8, 2015
MATCHING
Find multiple ISBNs using the OCLC xISBN webservice
http://xisbn.worldcat.org/xisbnadmin/index.htm
Allows users to query “FRBRized” WorldCat information to find all manifestations of a work
getEditions returns a list of relevant ISBNs
Communicate Cooperate Collaborate October 7-8, 2015
MATCHING
Reg Ex
Publisher
List
ISBNs
only
Bookstore
List
ISBNs
only
Publisher
List
.xls
Bookstore
List
.pdf Bookstore List
ISBNs only
expanded
xISBN
Reg Ex
Communicate Cooperate Collaborate October 7-8, 2015
MATCHING
Publisher
List
ISBNs
only
Bookstore
List
ISBNs only
expanded
Python
Matches
ISBNs
only
Communicate Cooperate Collaborate October 7-8, 2015
MATCHING
Publisher
List
ISBNs
only
Bookstore
List
ISBNs only
expanded
Python
Matches
ISBNs
only
Publisher
List
ISBNs
onlyxISBN
Communicate Cooperate Collaborate October 7-8, 2015
LIB.LSU.EDU/EBOOKS
Communicate Cooperate Collaborate October 7-8, 2015
DEVELOPMENT
First live version – static html with EBSCO based search
Current version – Database-driven with Drupal
E-Books for Students
E-Books for Instructors
Communicate Cooperate Collaborate October 7-8, 2015
VERSION 1 – EBSCO E-BOOK SEARCH
Our first effort included a custom EBSCO search configuration. This search retrieved only e-books that
met the three criteria. This was done by creating a profile that searched only a local collection of e-
books that met the target criteria.
However, this was not very helpful on its own, since most items were not used for classes. We have
since created a specialized e-books for instructors page that includes a Request feature as well as
searching options.
This version combined the e-book search with a list of assigned e-books with basic information about
each book.
Communicate Cooperate Collaborate October 7-8, 2015
STATIC HTML PAGE
We added an element of dynamism by using JavaScript. Patrons could select a course based on course
number. The books for that course would then be displayed alone.
Unfortunately, we were limited to only providing one search option.
Also, each item had to be added manually with HTML code. We even had to place each block of code in
correct order manually.
We used this approach from fall 2014 through spring 2015.
Communicate Cooperate Collaborate October 7-8, 2015
CURRENT DISPLAY – E-BOOKS FOR STUDENTS
In fall 2015, we launched a new website built with the content management system Drupal. Drupal
allows us to create a much more dynamic and usable platform for searching for assigned e-books.
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.
This system enables me to easily add searchable filters. Any data from the e-book record can be
searched. We’ve chosen to allow to search by Instructor, Course Number, Course Title and Book Title.
Communicate Cooperate Collaborate October 7-8, 2015
E-BOOKS FOR INSTRUCTORS
We also created a page that enables instructors to select from a (long) list of titles which can be
purchased by the Libraries. This list includes all items that share the minimum qualifications of unlimited
access, etc.
We employed a similar approach as with the student page. The information about each item is
organized into a spreadsheet. That spreadsheet is then uploaded into Drupal and displayed on the e-
books instructor page.
In addition to a search, instructors can send a request for us to purchase a book for them. The book
information auto populates into a form, which is sent to us for further processing.
We’re considering the addition of a “shopping cart” feature in the near future.
Communicate Cooperate Collaborate October 7-8, 2015
PROMOTION
Contact affected faculty
Permalink
Link to page (www.lib.lsu.edu/ebooks)
Student-directed contact
Facebook groups
Rosters
Paper slips
Communicate Cooperate Collaborate October 7-8, 2015
PROMOTION
Communicate Cooperate Collaborate October 7-8, 2015
FALL 2014-FALL 2015
Fall, spring, summer, fall
$938,605.47
Gross—does not subtract our costs
Assumes full enrollment
Undergraduate costs for an academic year: $38,365,500
25,577 undergraduates
$1,500 annually on books and supplies
Communicate Cooperate Collaborate October 7-8, 2015
FALL 2014-FALL 2015
Fall 2014 Spring 2015 Summer 2015 Fall 2015
Textbooks: 66 104 4 130
Classes: 60 113 4 164
Students at
full
enrollment:
2,270 2,379 150 4,888
Savings: $161,863.42 $288,411.60 $12,067.00 $476,263.15
Communicate Cooperate Collaborate October 7-8, 2015
LSU LIBRARIES’ COST
Packages:
Majority of the titles
Wiley: $17/title
Project Muse: $9.70/title
Springer
Print: purchased 1/3 of output for same cost
More circ than entire print
2014-2015
Title-by-title
Spring semester:28 titles for $7,000
Communicate Cooperate Collaborate October 7-8, 2015
LSU LIBRARIES’ COST
MATH 2065 and MATH 2070: Ordinary Differential Equations
$79.95 new
Used by 8 sections and 323 students
Cost for entire class to purchase = $25,823.85
Access through Springer
ME 3752: Materials Selection in Mechanical Design
$89.95 new
Cost for entire class to purchase = $15,291.50
Access through Knovel
AGRO 7165/OCS 7165: Biogeochemistry of Wetland Soils and Sediments
$179.95 new
Cost for entire class to purchase = $5,039
$283 for LSU Libraries
Communicate Cooperate Collaborate October 7-8, 2015
STUDENT GOVERNMENT
Presented initiative as promotion
Build e-textbooks platform
Instructor searching and selecting
What we have and what we can acquire quickly
$10,000 funding
Communicate Cooperate Collaborate October 7-8, 2015
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
Communicate Cooperate Collaborate October 7-8, 2015
CHALLENGES
Editions
On 3-4 year cycle for new editions
Traditional textbook publishers offer a variety of e-supplements
Still saying no a lot
McGraw Hill, Prentice Hall
Influence faculty textbook selections
Faculty like current system just fine
Student awareness
Communicate Cooperate Collaborate October 7-8, 2015
MOVING FORWARD
OERs
Bookstore collaboration
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
Top Related