Textbooks Are Expensive, But OER Can Be Challenging: Providing E-Textbook Access Through the Library

Research has shown that textbook costs are rising. Open educational resources (OER), though increasingly popular, are not available for all courses and can be difficult to adopt, particularly for contingent faculty. In response to the textbook crisis and the limitations of OER, Temple University has sought alternative ways to provide textbook access to students. We have promoted OER through a grant program since 2011 and offer a website to expose assigned readings that the Libraries own in e-book format. In 2018, the Libraries also began purchasing e-textbooks. The campus bookstore sends a list of assigned books each semester. We review the list according to criteria such as e-availability, existing library holdings, and previous assignment of the same materials. In spring 2018, Temple University Libraries purchased 38 assigned texts as e-books and added these to the e-textbook website. These e-books had heavier usage than other e-books purchased during the same period, and the Libraries plan to continue this practice.