[Libs-Or] Textbook publishers and the push for rental-only

[Amy Hofer]

Hi Julie and all,

Ouch! Bad for students, bad for libraries, bad for instructors whose
students can't access the materials...

Here is the list of known writing courses in Oregon community colleges that
are using open, free, or library materials instead of traditional publisher
content: http://openoregon.org/resources/?keyword=wr%20

I know Clark has a long history of advocating for OER. I hope this info is
helpful!

FYI,
Amy


>
> Message: 5
> Date: Mon, 2 Oct 2017 18:03:36 +0000
> From: "Austad, Julie" <JAustad at clark.edu>
> To: "libs-or at listsmart.osl.state.or.us"
>         <libs-or at listsmart.osl.state.or.us>
> Subject: [Libs-Or] Textbook publishers and the push for rental-only
> Message-ID:
>         <CY4PR0401MB3588788BEAC74747FB04FE64AB7D0 at CY4PR0401MB3588.
> namprd04.prod.outlook.com>
>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> Good morning,
>
> This is a follow up to Zachary Grant's email regarding Pearson and the
> "Curious Researcher." Here are more details regarding the dilemma that
> we've run into at Clark and further information that we've uncovered after
> some preliminary research. Please read the information below and let us
> know if you have run into this at your own libraries.
>
> Short version:
> Textbook publishers are making deals with college bookstore associations
> on rental- or digital-only copies of their books. This means that libraries
> cannot put copies on reserve, and at least at Clark, students who can
> afford it but don't have credit cards aren't able to purchase the rentals
> or digital copies. We have many Running Start students without credit cards
> who have already informed their instructors that they cannot rent a
> required text. I am under the impression from my conversation with a
> Pearson rep and after reading through the many articles linked below that
> this is a major upcoming trend in most major textbook publishers as they
> want to cut down on the resale of their materials.
>
> Detailed version:
> I spoke with a rep from Pearson during the week of September 25th to get
> more information about this rental-only limitation and specifically why we
> (Clark Libraries) couldn't get ahold of a print copy of the latest edition
> (9th) of the Curious Researcher.
>
> Despite appearances, it is impossible to order a copy through their
> website:
> https://www.pearson.com/us/higher-education/program/Ballenger-The-Curious-
> Researcher-A-Guide-to-Writing-Research-Papers-9th-Edition/PGM333866.html#<
> https://www.pearson.com/us/higher-education/program/Ballenger-
> The-Curious-Researcher-A-Guide-to-Writing-Research-
> Papers-9th-Edition/PGM333866.html>
>
> Gobi shows the print book's status as out of stock at publisher.
>
> The "new or used" copies on amazon range between $250-2,000 (
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0134498267/ref=
> dp_olp_all_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=all).
>
> I was informed by the rep at Pearson that they are indeed not making print
> copies available for purchase. They are piloting a rental- or digital-only
> program nationwide in college bookstores (Clark Bookstore included) with 50
> titles (one of which is the Curious Researcher 9th edition). This is an
> agreement between Pearson and indiCo<https://www.nacs.org/
> AboutNACS/leadership/indiCoboard.aspx>, part of the National Association
> of College Stores, announced on April 20, 2017.
>
> Around the same time, Pearson made a similar or connected deal with Chegg.
> Here are some articles about these deals:
>
>
> *         Published by indiCo: http://www.goindico.com/press-
> releases/pearson-and-indico-partner-to-bring-students-
> more-affordable-textbooks-in-campus-stores
>
>
> *         Textbook Guru: https://www.thetextbookguru.
> com/2017/04/11/pearson-chegg-partner-exclusive-rentals/
>
>
> *         PRWeb: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2017/04/prweb14248807.htm
>
>
> *         Pearson: https://www.pearson.com/corporate/news/media/news-
> announcements/2017/04/pearson-and-chegg-announce-
> partnership-to-make-textbooks-more-af.html
>
>
> *         From Publishers Weekly: https://www.publishersweekly.
> com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/73388-
> pearson-strikes-textbook-rental-deal-with-nacs.html
>
>
> *         Campus Technology: https://campustechnology.com/
> articles/2017/04/21/pearson-expands-textbook-rental-program.aspx
>
> The Pearson rep made it clear to me that this will most likely be a trend
> in the publishing world and mentioned Cengage and McGraw-Hill by name.
>
> I found this article about Macmillan making a rental deal, also with
> indiCo: http://www.goindico.com/press-releases/macmillan-learning-
> and-indico-join-forces-to-provide-college-students-with-
> more-affordable-course-materials
>
> When I asked Pearson about requesting a copy as an instructor and putting
> that on reserve, the rep said they had been specifically directed to not
> allow copies to be sold to be put in a "library reserve collection."
>
> The Pearson rep did mention that students have an option to request a
> print copy of a textbook if using REVEL (Pearson's online learning
> platform, https://www.pearsonhighered.com/revel/). I received more
> information about REVEL later that it is an additional purchase separate
> from the rental pilot and that students have an option to "upgrade" to
> print, which sounds like even more of a financial barrier. Of course, this
> still does not address that libraries cannot own print copies.
>
> While trying to find out more about all of this, I came across a major
> movement that also sprouted up this spring and summer to combat textbook
> counterfeiting. The major parties involved in this effort are Pearson
> Education, Cengage, McGraw-Hill, Chegg, and Ingram:
> https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2017/06/22/three-
> major-publishers-sue-college-store-company-over-textbook-counterfeiting.
>
> Please let us know if you have encountered this at your own institutions
> and how you have handled the situation.
>
> Please feel free to contact me directly.
>
> Sincerely,
>
>
> Julie Austad, MLS
> Reference & Instruction Librarian
> Pronouns: she, her, hers
> jaustad at clark.edu<mailto:jaustad at clark.edu> - (360 )992-2426
> Clark College Libraries
> [jaustad2017_50]


-- 
Amy Hofer
Coordinator, Statewide Open Education Library Services
openoregon.org

510-213-0702
Linn-Benton Community College
6500 SW Pacific Blvd.
Albany, OR 97321
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