Transcript Digital Textbooks: CSU Affordability Strategy for Student Success Gerry Hanley, Senior Director of Academic Technology Services California State University Board of Trustees Meeting March 20,

Digital Textbooks:
CSU Affordability Strategy for Student Success
Gerry Hanley, Senior Director of Academic Technology Services
California State University
Board of Trustees Meeting
March 20, 2012
About Digital Textbooks in the CSU
 Digital textbooks cost 45%-55% less
than new print textbook prices
 33% of CSU students prefer digital
textbooks
 1% of all titles sold in CSU bookstores
are digital textbooks
There is an unmet demand in the
marketplace
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CSU Provides System Access to
No- and Low-Cost Textbook Alternatives
 Open Textbooks: Over 2,000 FREE online
textbooks are available through the AL$ website
 CSU Library eBooks: CSU systemwide electronic
library collections provide students FREE access to
eBooks
 Faculty-Authored Materials: Published and
distributed in a variety of ways
 Lower Cost Publisher eTextbooks: Digital rentals
in the CSU
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Digital Rentals: Design Principles
Lessons learned from CSU research
 Choice
 Price
 Convenience
 Accessibility
…..Are Key Success Factors
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Digital Rentals: Business Proposition
Digital Textbook Publishers and Distributors
 Vendors provide more content at a good price
 CSU will actively support increases in adoptions
and acquisitions
Target: Significant increases in volume
will provide opportunities for:
 Additional lower-cost materials
 Different business models
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Digital Rentals: Here’s the Deal
Agreement on 3 key areas:
 Price: 60% off new print textbook prices
 Publishers choose the titles they will offer
 Marketing: CSU and vendors will collaborate on
raising awareness, comfort, and competencies in
using digital textbooks
 Accessibility: Vendors will provide the CSU a
roadmap for improving the accessibility of their
eReaders
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Digital Rentals: Who’s Playing?
Vendors Serve all CSU Campuses
 CourseSmart: Independent bookstores
 Café Scribe: Follett bookstores
 NookStudy: Barnes & Noble bookstores
 Cengage Learning: 27% of higher ed market
Resolving Issues
 eReader usability and accessibility
 Which titles at 60% discount?
 Long-term growth in offerings
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Digital Rentals: What’s the Schedule?
Spring 2012: Faculty-focused activities
 Faculty awareness to support adoption
 April 14 CSU Conference on Teaching
 Webinars by vendors + faculty
 HEOA memo on textbook affordability
Fall 2012: Student-focused activities
 Student awareness of choice
 CSSA program
 CSU Public Affairs program
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Digital Rentals: Student Savings
If 1/3 of CSU students
choose 1 digital rental per
semester instead of a new
$100 print textbook…..
CSU students will save
about $17 Million in 2012-13
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Affordable Learning Solutions
Enabling
Ecosystems
with policies, leadership,
business models
Developing Demand
with communications,
training, professional
development
Creating Capabilities
with convenient & affordable access
to content (CSU Digital Marketplace)
Leveraging Content Providers
Publishers--Libraries-- Academic Authors-Open Education Resources (CSU-MERLOT)
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http://als.csuprojects.org
Making It Easier To Find
 Alternative Content
 Tools
 Technologies
 Policies
 Marketing & deployment
strategies
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Thank You
http://als.csuprojects.org