What's the difference between putting an e-book, versus an e-textbook, on a reading list?
It is the publisher or vendor that deems the books status. A title's status as e-book versus e-textbook will determine whether:
• libraries are able to buy it;
• how much of its content they will be able to buy (e.g. the assessment components?) and
• if it will be available for sale to individuals only.
This has implications for students:
• can they rely on access via the Library?
• must each student purchase access?
If available via the Library, considerations include:
• is access limited to one person at a time - and how long are others locked out (1 day, 3 days, 14 days?)
• is content complete?
• how much may be printed or downloaded within a stated period?
Some publishers or vendors generate unique user IDs the first time a reader accesses a title. They are then able to track and block the amount of reading, printing and downloading performed by that user.
So, an e-textbook differs from an e-book at the publisher's discretion. As described earlier, an e-textbook is often defined by its print equivalent status, or by the publisher's assessment of its application to teaching. If a publisher representative partnering with an academic has one of their titles listed as required reading on a course outline, that title will be deemed an e-textbook. This preserves the sales/usage ratio of 1:1, rather than 1: many.
Do publishers partner with libraries with respect to e-textbooks?
In UC Library's experience: no, they do not. This is also reported by other Council of Australian University Librarians members.
E-textbook publisher representatives do not contact UC Library. They deal directly with academics.
UC Library usually learns of these partnerships when students fail to locate the e-textbook in the library catalogue.