UKSG webinar - Free eBooks for everyone: a new challenge for the University Library
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From September 2015 Middlesex University will be giving all of its students registered at its Hendon campus in London their own personal free ebook for each module they study. In the current academic year the project is being piloted with two Schools. The webinar will discuss the success of the project so far, our partnership with John Smith/Kortext and ways in which provision may develop in future.
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UKSG webinar - Free eBooks for everyone: a new challenge for the University Library
- 1. Free eBooks for everyone: a new challenge for the University Library
- 2. © Middlesex University Student expectations | 2 Library resources are insufficient: …… It can be hard to get hold of books that appear on reading lists as there are only 1 or 2 copies … NSS 2011 – free text comments
- 3. © Middlesex University Other ebook projects
- 4. © Middlesex University The end of the library?
- 5. © Middlesex University Keep taking the tablets
- 6. © Middlesex University Strategy …….the vision for the project is simple: students will have the essential book provided for each module. This saves them time and money and means their tutor knows that they have access to key materials
- 7. © Middlesex University Choosing a supplier • Publisher-independent platform • Offer a negotiation service with publishers • Accessible online and offline from any location • Integration with the VLE • Licence covers overseas campuses
- 9. © Middlesex University Planning and Implementation
- 10. © Middlesex University Which modules are running?
- 11. © Middlesex University Choose a book, any book http://www.fotocommunity.com/pc/pc/display/22077920
- 12. © Middlesex University VLE Access
- 14. © Middlesex University Read Online, Read Offline
- 17. © Middlesex University Online store
- 18. © Middlesex University Promotion & support
- 19. © Middlesex University Review & feedback
- 20. © Middlesex University | Usage Statistics…So far Number of students in the pilot 4,995 Number of modules in the pilot 539 Number of eTextbook titles in the pilot 344 Number of eTextbook copies provided 14,995 % of activated accounts (students who have accessed their books) 85%
- 21. © Middlesex University Students’ Feedback Presentation title | 21 ‘A big thank you for the free online books this year’ ‘Students like this method of making study books available, especially for multiple devices’ ‘I Love Kortext. It means not spending crazy money on books’ ‘I downloaded it and it’s there… whenever I need it’ ‘It makes such a difference having the essential reading online’ ‘This is a great scheme. I wish we’d had it earlier in our course’ ‘I have been showing off to my friends at other universities about the free books and free printing that the Library provides for us at Middlesex’ ‘Kortext is great’
- 22. © Middlesex University Academics’ Feedback Presentation title | 22 ‘Amazing! Can my students have more than one Kortext for my module?’ ‘Can Kortext include the homework / learning tools now provided by publishers?’ ‘Can the students on my module at our overseas campuses also have the Kortext book?’ ‘Can Kortext be used to monitor student usage?’ ‘Why are some books not available via Kortext?’ ‘Can my students have print books instead?’ ‘Can I have a customised book putting together selected chapters from books from different publishers?’ ‘Kortext is great’ ‘Why don’t the publishers give us better discounts?’
- 23. Feedback on functionality Wish-list Developments to the Kortext App Usage monitoring dashboard Simplified download process More Epub 3 Note sharing across a module Easy printing Moodle plug-in Easy to use online, single sign-on
- 24. © Middlesex University | Next Steps...
- 25. © Middlesex University Any questions? Matthew Lawson: m.lawson@mdx.ac.uk Paul Howell: p.howell@mdx.ac.uk Jamie Halstead: j.halstead@mdx.ac.uk
Editor's Notes
- Will set out overview of the project and strategic imperatives for the University in supporting it Then how we have implemented it so far Finally feedback from Schools and students
- NSS dissatisfaction: how to meet student needs when expectations rising? Aim to attract students and add value. Keep up with initiatives at other Unis Space constraints. Online supports remote users Supports progs with one core text . Wont apply equally across all subject areas
- Images of other ebook projects Students First UEL No Hidden Extras-Coventry School of Psychology at Plymouth University Imperial ebooks to aeronautics first year and civil and engineering But we are the largest for ebooks-for all students in the University and being driven by the Library
- The end of the library? (Maria-poll) This wont replace library collections but to supplement them and meet core expectations of core books being available. Students will no longer need to invest in buying core texts or compete with fellow students to find scarce copies in the library. Library in charge. Well placed for this project. Experience with resources, independent and will get asked by students anyway Network of contacts: Academics, Registry, Schools, MDX SU
- Some universities seem to have chosen to supply both ebooks and a device on which to read it Potential benefits in this approach - attractive to students - but an expensive option and not in line with longer-term assumption that students will increasingly bring their own devices on campus. iPads not functionality of laptops so even if provide tablets wouldn’t necessarily reduce demand for PCs/Macs which is an issue at MDX. So consensus that not cost-effective to supply e-texts on a device and should focus on supplying e-texts downloadable to a device of the students choosing. Question of ebook vs hard copy: significant advantages of e-books over print texts, both for students (access from any location) and for the University (simpler to administer)
- Proposal to university exec: Selling vision to the, Considerable investment. Clear message to current and potential students. Strong support. Not a one year project-needs to be consistent. So build year on year. Decided should pilot with 2 schools in year one that rely on core textbooks.
- Fine for overseas campuses-contrast with normal eresources Procurement process. Chose one of the three main suppliers in the market
- Not just a purchaser-customer relationship. Looking for a longer term relationship. With ongoing support, using our experience of supporting students and theirs of the purchasing market. So looking for them to be on campus at times of the year to directly support students. Payment on activation so in their interest that books used.
- Three main work strands Data gathering – Pilot and university wide project Book submissions – engagement of academic community – important academics make the choice. Scalable VLE integration – MDX UniHub portal – moodle is the learning environment. Important easy as possible for students to access resources
- Pilot : Business and Law. Started in April. Which modules are running? Who is the module leader for the module. How many students will there be on the modules? How many were there on last year? University Registry : Main report Issue: validation process and closure of modules / programmes varies department to department: Result modules appear late in the process : Modules / programmes listed as running which had been closed, chasing phantom modules and module leaders. : Disparity of centrally held information and the reality on the ground Important link between Library and departmental administrators, academics and registry. Use of library reading list information for module leaders. Familiar role for the library
- Important that it’s the academics choice. Has to be useful to the student, relevant to the module and programme, drives engagement and gives value. The academic gets one book. Lesson learnt, to start earlier than April, communicate with academics: meetings, communication. Book submissions: direct to the portal (improvements made) or where programme approach we do on academics behalf. Choose one book, earlier we have the book more chance to negotiate the access. Can’t change the book at the last minute. Lot of chasing, March to complete 1500 modules contingency plans to raise to programme leaders to choose books.
- Access though the Kortext website. Pilot: manually added 500+ links into the moodle environment. Not scalable, difficult to maintain. This academic year: Kortext plugin, scope for development and functionality.
- Functionality: log in to VLE (Moodle). Students see link to their books. Have a separate Kortext bookshelf so they can continue to access after they leave the University. Can view online or download to the Koretxt app for offline reading. Will sync between devices.
- Read online and offline. Increasingly publishers doing EPUB 3 versions as well as PDF-added value
- Highlight passages, share with friends.
- Printing-allows large amount of the book to be printed, with smaller amount on each occasion. Much better to have standardised usage terms –library ebooks very confusing
- Online bookshop
- Marketing to potential and current students Emails (and follow up emails) to students within the scheme Kortext drop-ins / stalls in prominent places on campus Inductions and training provided by the Librarians (for students and staff) Targeted encouragement for students identified as not using the scheme
- Feedback via: Board of Studies meetings Our online enquiry system Enquiry Desks Online survey Review: Steering group with a wide cross section of school and service representatives Trial – Review – Pilot - Review Focus groups (students and staff)
- Pleased with progress so far. Now scaling up for launch to whole University in September Next phase will be investigating use of ebooks as learning objects and whether usage impacts on achievement