Assessments of E-Textbook Availability

Abstract

The paper debuts partial findings from the author’s two longitudinal study in college context to provide an alternative perspective on e-textbook availability and usability issues. A thorough investigation of actual textbook titles of the university the author teaches at from Fall 2012 to Spring 2016 discloses that many instructor-assigned textbooks do not have electronic counterparts; even if they do, most of them are kindle-like only, not a version which libraries can purchase for use by multiple students. The publishers of the selected textbooks are highly diverse. A few high-profile educational publishers’ claim on high rate of dual format publication cannot speak for all.

The textbook reading is perceived completely different from leisure or intermittent reading where cell phone could suffice. Ownership or access to proper readers has to be taken into consideration. The word cloud of student comments on e-textbook experience illustrates a few perceived impeding reasons for adopting e-textbooks.