E-Textbooks

With the cost of textbooks soaring, many colleges and universities are looking to alternatives to the traditional paper text. The electronic textbook field is still emerging, and higher education is experimenting with the concept in various modes. Explore this resource site—a collection of all EDUCAUSE resources related to E-Textbooks.

EDUCAUSE and Internet2 E-Text Pilots

EDUCAUSE and Internet2 are implementing a series of e-text pilot efforts with colleges and universities to evaluate technologies and business models in the fast evolving migration from traditional textbooks to electronic content. Learn More >

E-Texts Constituent Group

Intended for general discussion in addition to news about the pilot, the E-Texts Constituent Group discusses the rapidly evolving domain of digital textbooks, multimedia supplements, tutorial websites, e-reader/annotation software, and related materials. Learn More >

New Resources

7 Things You Should Know About the Evolution of the Textbook, ELI 7 Things, April 2012. This resource examines a new breed of rich-media publishing tools that offer an evolving set of opportunities both for the creation process and for the kinds of resources that can be produced.
Developing a Digital Textbook Strategy for Your Campus, Florida Distance Learning Consortium, February 2012. This one-day symposium examined institution and state level digital textbook initiatives, including national trends and prevailing models for both publisher digital textbooks and open textbooks.
eTexts: A Perishable Opportunity for Higher Education?, EDUCAUSE Live!, January 24, 2012 - This EDUCAUSE Live! program addressd the strategic, business, and policy implications for institutions in light of a changing world of consumer electronics and new models for digital educational resources such as eTexts, website tutorials, and other licensed content.

Articles, Papers, and Reports

A Study of Four Textbook Distribution Models, EDUCAUSE Quarterly, December 2011. In preparation for campus-wide e-text adoption, Daytona State College completed a two-year comparative study of four textbook distribution models: print purchase, print rental, e-text rental, and e-text rental with e-reader device.
Digital Texts and the Future of Education: Why Books?, EDUCAUSE Quarterly, March 2011. Abilene Christian University and GYLO partnered to investigate student attitudes and perceptions of the impact of using a mobile device as a supplemental tool for teaching statistics.
7 Things You Should Know About Open Textbook Publishing, ELI 7 Things, March 2011. Open textbooks can be offered by commercial publishers or found in open repositories. Open resources can promote active learning through student interaction with the text, particularly when they contribute to authorship.
A Cover to Cover Solution: How Open Textbooks are the Path to Textbook Affordability, Student PIRGs, September 2010. This report evaluates cost-reducing options from the traditional textbook market—rentals, e-books and e-readers—and open textbooks as potential next steps to reduce the high cost of textbooks.
E-Textbooks: “An Interesting Ride”, EDUCAUSE Review, March/April 2010. An interview conducted at the EDUCAUSE 2009 Annual Conference about the use of digital textbooks in higher education.
E-Books in Higher Education: Are We There Yet?, ECAR Research Bulletin, January 2010. This ECAR research bulletin presents an update to the rapidly changing e-book and e-textbook landscape and provides some higher education stakeholders with a clearer view of the road ahead.
A Campus-Wide E-Textbook Initiative, EDUCAUSE Quarterly, July 2009. This article focuses on the process that Northwest Missouri State University followed in studying the feasibility of transitioning from the rental of traditional textbooks to the rental of e-textbooks, along with the extensive integration of e-textbooks across the university’s academic environment.

Presentations, Podcasts, Seminars, and Videos

Got Open Textbook? ELI Online Fall Focus Session, September 2011. This session speaker discusses resource discovery, implementation issues, and the pros and cons of using open-source materials and concludes with some recommendations applicable for any stage of open-source resource adoption.
Textbook Affordability: Emerging Solutions in Ohio, ELI Web Seminar, March 2011. This webinar discusses why textbook costs have skyrocketed; how textbook costs impact students, faculty, and institutions; and current initiatives by the University System of Ohio to address textbook affordability and learning outcomes.
Digital Content in Higher Education—Practical Findings, ELI Web Seminar, March 2011. This webinar provides an overview of the digital textbook landscape as it currently exists and a glimpse into the emerging trends that will shape higher education digital content in the near future.

EDUCAUSE Staff Picks

7 Things You Should Know About the Evolution of the Textbook, ELI 7 Things, April 2012. This resource examines a new breed of rich-media publishing tools that offer an evolving set of opportunities both for the creation process and for the kinds of resources that can be produced.
eTexts: A Perishable Opportunity for Higher Education?, EDUCAUSE Live!, January 24, 2012 - This EDUCAUSE Live! program addressd the strategic, business, and policy implications for institutions in light of a changing world of consumer electronics and new models for digital educational resources such as eTexts, website tutorials, and other licensed content.
A Study of Four Textbook Distribution Models, EDUCAUSE Quarterly, December 2011. In preparation for campus-wide e-text adoption, Daytona State College completed a two-year comparative study of four textbook distribution models: print purchase, print rental, e-text rental, and e-text rental with e-reader device.
7 Things You Should Know About Open Textbook Publishing, ELI 7 Things, March 2011. Open textbooks can be offered by commercial publishers or found in open repositories. Open resources can promote active learning through student interaction with the text, particularly when they contribute to authorship.

Library Items on this Topic

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EDUCAUSE Library Items for E-Textbooks

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Emergency Communications Management and the Clery Act: February 28, 2013

Presenter, Mark Katsouros, director of network planning and integration at the Pennsylvania State University, will share: Notable improvements made in emergency communications management/…
Mobility at Ole Miss: An Evolving Strategy: December 7, 2011

Those who work in a university setting are aware of mobile devices and their potential for enhancing campus life. In response, vendors are offering mobility solutions that claim they can address…
Irene/Katrina Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery: November 9, 2011

Disaster recovery and business continuity are no one’s favorite topics on a good day; in times of economic downturn, making the case for being prepared may be even more difficult. However, the…
A Conversation with CIOs on Current Campus IT Initiatives and Trends: August 9, 2011

Join leading CIOs in a conversation about their current campus IT issues and initiatives. Hear and discuss the institutional challenges CIO and Senior IT Leaders are facing related to administ…
Top Issues Facing Today's Business and Financial Officers: August 10, 2011

August 10, 2011, 1:00 p.m. (EDT/GMT-4) What are the biggest challenges currently confronting chief business and financial officers at colleges and universities? How has the current e…
Spotlight on Mobile Computing: Going Mobile at Stanford: May 26, 2011

Who is driving the influx of new technologies? How does this create a “mobile mind-set”? How is Stanford answering these questions? How can you galvanize your campus to go mobile? Tim Fl…
Mobile Enterprise Integration at Bucknell and the University of Mississippi: April 27, 2011

Mobile Computing: A 5 Day Sprint—Wednesday, April 27 The day is coming when users will be able to access the full range of enterprise-wide resources and conduct all enterprise tran…
Bring Data: Analytics, Outcomes, and the Role of IT Leadership: February 7, 2011

Fully 40 years ago, the President's Task Force on Higher Education (the Newman Commission) challenged education leaders to address critical questions about "efficiency" in higher …
The Campus Computing Project: Two Decades of Data, Information, and Insight About IT Planning and Policy Issues: November 5, 2010

Begun in 1990, the Campus Computing Project is the largest continuing study of the role of computing, e-learning, and information technology in U.S. higher education. This session with Casey Gree…
What to Do While Your Building or Renovation Project Is On Hold: June 29, 2009

Many campuses will be postponing or curtailing new building projects and renovations due to the current economic climate, but the pressing need for newly configured, technology-enabled spaces has…