Textbook Alternatives

Assigning academic or trade book for course readings? Library e-books can help!.
Not every title is available for purchase as a library e-book

Standard textbook publishers rarely offer library e-books.

Library e-books pose advantages and disadvantages:

Advantages

• Free access from off-campus with a Ferris login 
• Can be read on any device with an internet browser: desktop computer, laptop, i-pad, or e-book reader (with internet connection)
• No need for library staff intervention (unlike print reserves)
• Can sometimes be accessed via multiple user versions with simultaneous access.

Disadvantages
Surveys say students prefer print books to highlight and annotate; (some e-books offer digital highlighting and annotation) 
Must be read online; limited options for downloading or printing content
May be available to only one person at a time
Work best on desktop computers and laptops; may not display as well on phones, i-pads, and other devices

Multiple User e-books vs. Single User e-books
Many library e-books allow any number of readers to access the book simultaneously. Some can only be purchased as a single user book, where only one user at a time can access the book and a 2nd simultaneous user must wait for the first to stop reading the book. In a few cases, librarians have the option to purchase a 2 or 3 simultaneous user version.

Using e-books as Course Reading
When assigning a substantial number of chapters from a book, it's helpful to also place orders for a print version with the book store. This provides an option for students who prefer to purchase a print copy.  If you are assigning just one chapter from an e-book, consider placing a print copy of the book on library reserves, as this provides an option for students who are less comfortable using e-books.

If assigning an e-book, it is important to understand access procedures. Most important is to provide a fail-safe link that works from off campus. The easy way to do this is to use the link provided in the FLITE catalog record for the book (see box below). Or simply provide the link to the FLITE catalog record.

Unlike with most web pages, referring students to the link you see in your browser address window is likely to fail. The link from the browser might not work at a different time and place. It also might not work from off campus. The links in the catalog record are stable and set up to work from off campus with a Ferris login.

When assigning a library e-book, your subject librarian may be able to provide advice that could prevent access headaches. If you experience problems with accessing an e-book, discuss this with your subject librarian. We've seen cases where faculty assumed that the problem was limited access to the book, but it was actaully a different problem that could be remedied. Students can also be referred to the Reference Desk for help (734-487-2445). Staff and student assistants at the Reference Desk have been trained to help with e-book access issues.

One issue we've seen:
In some cases, the professor provided the correct link and students accessed the book without problems. However, some students tried to add the book as a "favorite" or "bookmark" in the browser on their computer after accessing the book--this added a a web address that would not work correctly (the URL changes after you access the book). A work-around is to use the library catalog record URL as the bookmark/favorite link--this creates "two-click" access: 1. link to catalog record 2. use link to book in catalog record.