Leveling the playing field:the Plymouth eBook Project

Phil GeePlymouth University

Winner2013

I wouldn’t start from here

September 2014

•Focus on new undergraduates

•80% of programmes

•7000 Students

•26,000 books.

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.

works well because

• books ‘belong’ to student*

• read anywhere, any time

• encourages ‘reading for a degree’.

good for publishers•much more predictable

•multi-year deal cost and market advantages

•universities less likely to pirate their stuff.

good for us

•we do our job more effectively

•we have happy students.

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.

challenge: working with publishers

• like herding partially-trained cats

• variation in digital & institutional strategies

• variation in pricing policy

• RRP RIP?.

challenge: working together

• find ways to collect & share data

• focus on service not products

• clear and realistic pricing.

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.

pgee@plymouth.ac.uk