This document discusses Plymouth University's eBook project which provides eBook versions of core texts for students rather than physical books. The key benefits are that it allows all students to access readings from anywhere, levels the playing field for students, and frees up library resources. The project currently provides eBooks for various subjects with over 50 titles available. Surveys found that students had positive feedback and appreciated the accessibility and portability of eBooks, though some noted a preference for print or found screens harder on their eyes. The goals are to expand the program to provide eBooks for all new undergraduates starting in September 2014. Challenges include working with academics to select appropriate texts and secure multi-year commitments, as well as negotiating

1. Plymouth eBook Project
Phil Gee

2. the idea
• customer is the school, not its
students (core texts).

3. key benefits
• teach knowing ALL students can access
reading (anywhere)
• level playing field
• note sharing (for starters ... nexus for
educational tech)
• frees up library resources.

4. works well because
• books ‘belong’ to student*
• read anywhere, any time
• encourages ‘reading for a
degree’

5. current provision
subject (no. books)
subject (no. books)
psychology (23)
geography (5)
environmental sci (6)
biomedical Sciences (7)
marine biology (5)
biological Sciences (5)
earth sciences (4)
maths & statistics (12)
computing (8)
accountancy (3).

6. suppliers
Sage
Pearson
Taylor & Francis
Hodder
Wiley Blackwell
Cengage
Palgrave
Macmillan.
McGraw Hill

7. survey
102 first-year Psychology undergraduates at Plymouth University responded in May
2013
any positive comments?
any negative comments?
Very useful, particularly for
Have none. I think this was a
students lacking the resources great initiative.
to acquire the books in print,
which can be very expensive.
Also, as university courses
become increasingly grounded
in digital media, the ebooks
scheme was a good way to roll
with the times.

8. survey
Eighty-six first-year Psychology undergraduates at Plymouth University responded
any positive comments?
any negative comments?
I think its a fantastic scheme. Instead of having to lug
around heavy books every day, I can read all of the books
and make my own personal notes and highlight onto both
of my laptops and take them everywhere with only the
need for a small bag (as I have a netbook laptop). Its very
accessible and its even better that apart from whilst
downloading the books, the internet is not even needed.
Fantastic!

9. survey
Eighty-six first-year Psychology undergraduates at Plymouth University responded
any positive comments?
any negative comments?
Puts everyone at an
advantage right from the
beginning of the course and
not only the people who
can afford books. saves
waiting in an endless waiting
list for a book. easily
accessed and portable.
its harder to read alot on a
computer screen i feel it
strains my eyes more than a
paper book

10. survey
102 first-year Psychology undergraduates at Plymouth University responded in May
2013
any positive comments?
any negative comments?
I find it much easier to read from my computer/phone
as Im much more used to reading articles etc. online
than I am to reading books. Also, not having to
physically carry around the books makes things much
easier for me. Making notes and highlighting is also
much easier, as is searching for these. Searching for
specific terms is also far easier with an eBook.

11. survey
Eighty-six first-year Psychology undergraduates at Plymouth University responded
any positive comments?
any negative comments?
I like the on line tutorials
on the e books they help
me. Also I prefer to read e
books in bed as I can make
the print bigger and I dont
drop it on my chihuihua
dog, like i do with normal
books.
i found it odd reading books
from a computer screen but
soon got used to it. I do
prefer the printed books
but want to get more used
to the e books. Also they
are really good for the
environment.

12. survey conclusions
• students like the scheme
• the format (pdf or reflowable) makes a
difference
• 55% Psych Stage 1 had heard of scheme prior
to joining us. Of these, 44% said that eBooks
had influenced their decision.
• we need to do some training

13. good for publishers
• much more predictable
• multi-year deal cost and
market advantages
• universities less likely to
pirate their stuff

14. good for us
• we do our job more
effectively
• we have happy students

15. goal: september 2014
• new Plymouth undergraduates get core
texts at start of course
• 120 programmes
• 450 modules
• 6700 students.

16. challenge: working with
academics
• herding cats would be easier
• decision: which available texts suitable?
• commit to several years?
• email isn’t enough
• a new cost.

17. challenge: working with
publishers
• like herding partially-trained cats
• variation in digital & institutional
strategies
• variation in pricing policy
• RRP RIP?.

18. challenge: working
together
• find ways to collect & share data
• focus on service not products
• clear and realistic pricing

19. final thoughts
• really exciting time in academic publishing
• opportunity to put quality (& enhanced?)
texts in to back pockets
• chance to develop new partnerships &
ways of thinking about content.

20. pgee@plymouth.ac.uk