Library Pilots Digital Textbook Resource

Students! If you haven’t purchased your textbooks for the spring semester, check to see if your textbook is on the list below. If it is, the Library can provide you with digital access.  

As soon as the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the closure of the physical library and our in-person Reserves checkout desk, the Library began pursuing options to enable students to access textbooks they would normally borrow from our in-person Reserves desk remotely. One such option we are piloting this spring semester is called BibliU. 

What is BibliU?

BibliU is a digital textbook borrowing platform that features select textbooks from publishers such as Pearson, Cengage, and McGraw Hill. Not all titles from these publishers are available through BibliU. When a student reads more than 10% of a title, the Library is charged a fee to license the etextbook for that student (approximately $50 per student, per textbook license). The student then has access to that ebook through BibliU for six months. For spring 2021, the Library is funding 250 licenses through BibliU. Students are not charged any fees to access materials through BibliU.

Temporary Pandemic Response

BibliU is not a comprehensive solution to the problem of textbook affordability at CSUSM. The Library strongly feels that all CSUSM students have the right to access their course materials, and that textbook costs are frequently too high and create an obstacle to student success. The publishers featured in the BibliU platform typically do not license digital versions of their textbooks to libraries, which makes it very difficult for the Library to support our students who need access to these textbooks during COVID-19 virtual instruction. There is a very limited number of titles available on the BibliU platform due to publisher restrictions on many titles. If your textbook is not available through BibliU, it may be available through Library Reserves. If you’re having trouble finding your textbook, contact reserve@csusm.edu.

CALM is the Solution

CSUSM faculty interested in finding alternative resources from publishers other than Pearson, Cengage, McGraw Hill and other high-cost textbook publishers are highly encouraged to reach out to the Cougars Affordable Learning Materials (CALM) program by emailing calm@csusm.edu. In many cases, the Library can license digital materials similar to resources from these publishers that are completely free for students to access. Through the CALM initiative, professional development awards are available for faculty who redesign their courses around open, free, or Library-provided resources.

For spring 2021, CSUSM is offering the following titles in support of these CSUSM courses:

If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or feedback about the Library’s BibliU pilot or textbook affordability in general, please contact the CALM initiative at calm@csusm.edu or fill out the CALM Contact Form.