Free Via Library (FVL) Etextbooks: Enhancing Affordable Learning by Involving an Academic Library in the Textbook Selection Process

Abstract

This paper discusses an etextbook initiative which an academic library adopted to support affordable learning. After providing an overview of how textbook costs affect university students, the paper details the library’s etextbook initiative and how the library works both proactively (before/during the course design phase) and reactively (after textbook selection) to identify library etextbooks which courses can use in place of student purchased textbooks. The paper then reviews data demonstrating the use of library etextbooks in courses and the cost savings to students resulting from replacing student purchased textbooks with library etextbooks. The paper concludes by discussing problems and issues the library has encountered using library ebooks as textbooks.