From: Dominic Broadhurst <[log in to unmask]> Date: Fri, 18 May 2018 07:12:21 +0000 Jim Thanks for this. I really find resonance in your last point about libraries engaging in this space. This is something a number of libraries have been doing successfully in the United Kingdom (including ourselves) for a number of years and is something I believe can add real value to all parties including our students, our faculty, our institutions and of course our libraries. My recent journal article <https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/en/publications/the-direct-library-supply-of-individual-textbooks-to-students--examining-the-value-proposition(3372d989-40e6-4f1d-840a-511977822b16).html> on this very topic highlights all of this (OA version available too, of course!). Plus happy to discuss off-line with any North American colleagues too Bests Dominic Dominic Broadhurst|Academic Engagement Manager|University of Manchester Library|University of Manchester|email: [log in to unmask] |tel: 0161 275 6499 [image: View-my-LinkedIn-profile-from-The-Linked-In-Man] <https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominic-broadhurst-0107567/> *ORCID <http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8275-7688> ID* *Read my recent journal article * The direct library supply of individual textbooks to students: examining the value proposition https://doi.org/10.1108/ILS-07-2017-0072 *From:* LibLicense-L Discussion Forum [mailto:[log in to unmask]] *On Behalf Of *LIBLICENSE *Sent:* 18 May 2018 04:14 *To:* [log in to unmask] *Subject:* New models for textbook licensing -- controversy From: "Jim O'Donnell" <[log in to unmask]> Date: Thu, 17 May 2018 20:06:44 -0700 The price of textbooks and the consequent burden on students is a hot topic in higher education, leading both to initiatives to expand the usage of Open Educational Resources (OERs – roughly open-access textbooks) and to experiments in different pricing models by which publishers offer e-textbooks. One commonly discussed model is a ‘subscription’ or ‘site license’ to attain ‘inclusive access’ by charging a single price to an institution for access to all the students in a given course. This usually leads to lower cost-per-student and (and this is what academics like) much broader access to textbooks by students where now many choose not to buy textbooks they find too expensive. So now a publisher is facing blowback from textbook authors: https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2018/05/16/ textbook-authors-sue-cengage-over-subscription-model#.Wvx3HR7yzeA.twitter Without knowing anywhere near enough facts of the case, I think it’s permitted to wonder whether a lower price guaranteed for a larger number of students might not in some cases bring equal revenue to publishers and authors over a current situation where non-purchase, reliance on second-hand texts, and the like already brings less than the notional maximum revenue that would come from 100% of students paying retail price. My view is that libraries will be increasingly pressed to engage in this space, whatever models emerge as preferable. Jim O’Donnell Arizona State University