Why E-Book Collections Matter for Student Success
If you’re interested in universities with the largest e-book collections, read on. We’ll also discuss the benefits and steps of using e-books in your studies. You’ll also learn about useful tips for making the most of e-books.
What are e-books in the first place? E-books, or electronic books, are the digital versions of printed books. You can read e-books on a smartphone, tablet, or computer. These are also available for downloads, usually as PDFs.
Michael S. Hart created the first modern e-book (i.e., the Declaration of Independence) in 1971. Then, it was no more than a pamphlet. Today, e-books come in a wide range of forms, from textbooks to reference books.
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E-books are increasingly in use, too, in colleges and universities. In a study, 74.6% of students preferred e-books because of their portability. E-books were easier to carry than traditional books.
Furthermore, 80.6% read from e-books for more than an hour. Students preferred e-books for their research activities and leisure reading.
The popularity of online and degree programs contributed to their increasing use, too. College students preferred e-books because of their:
- Convenience in accessing their contents (i.e., via digital downloads to your device)
- Cost-efficiency (i.e., lower total cost than printed textbooks)
- Accessibility for all students (i.e., removes logistical and geographical barriers)
- Flexibility (i.e., customized to support specific learning outcomes)
- Accessibility for students with disabilities (i.e., text-to-speech feature)
- Interactive features that promote better learning for diverse learners (e.g., multimedia elements)
Indeed, when you use e-books well, you can boost your academic performance and progress. Now, that’s as good a reason as any to use e-books more.
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What Makes a Great University E-Book Collection?
The top university libraries offer unique e-book collections, features, and services. However, these institutions share many similarities that make their e-book collections impressive.
Number of titles
The best collections offer a comprehensive catalog of genres, titles, and authors. The breadth of the e-book collection is as important as its depth, of course. The goal is to address the different needs for e-books among students among other users.
As such, required textbooks, reference books, and research studies must be available. If necessary, regular updates must be made to ensure up-to-date information. This is particularly true for textbooks and other course materials.
Then, there must also be academic and niche e-books. Graduate students, professors, and researchers usually use them.
Diversity of subjects covered
The best collections cover diverse disciplines that align with the college’s programs. Every discipline, from arts and humanities to STEM, has its collection of e-books. This way, students can engage in interdisciplinary studies.
Furthermore, the e-book collection should reflect diversity in its many forms. We’re talking about culture, regions, religions, race, and gender identity.
Accessibility features
When we talk of accessibility, we mean two distinct aspects. First, accessibility in relation to enabling students to access e-books without in-person visits. Access through an online platform meets the need. Multi-device access and offline availability are also great features.
Second, accessibility in relation to students with disabilities. Accessibility features in this case include:
- Screen reader compatibility
- Text-to-speech
- Adjustable font sizes and styles
- Closed captions
- High-contrast mode
The goal is inclusivity in both aspects.
- User-friendly platforms
Digital libraries must be available on user-friendly platforms with features like:
- Intuitive interfaces with user-friendly features for bookmarking, highlighting, and annotating texts
- Analytics and usage tracking
- Advanced search tools
These modern features make it easier and faster to use digital libraries than traditional ones.
Affordability and quality
Many university libraries allow free access to their e-book collections. Current students, faculty, and alumni usually have priority. In the case of access fees, these are usually nominal. Most, if not all, libraries offer open educational resources.
Quality is more important than breadth and depth in e-book collections, too. The e-books must be by reputable authors and publishers.
Top University Libraries with the Largest E-Book Collections in 2024
Harvard University
Harvard Library offers among the best university e-book resources for curious students. The Ivy League university has over 25 libraries with 20 million-plus physical and digital items. Students can access resources from across all disciplines and in 460+ languages.
Students must use the Harvard Library portal to access its e-books and resources. Dedicated staff provide digital workshops and virtual research consultations. Students can also start by reading its comprehensive online guides.
Stanford University
The Stanford University Libraries are among the best libraries for online students. With dedicated librarians and IT specialists, students enjoy excellent support services. These include a dedicated help desk, virtual research consultations, and more.
Stanford takes pride in its Stanford Digital Repository with millions of digital objects. The Stanford University Libraries itself contains over 15 million items. Students can access these resources via a dedicated portal and using their credentials.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
If you’re a Fighting Illini, you’ll love the free and affordable digital learning resources. UIUC’s library collections consist of more than 20 million items, including e-books. Reports say that there are over 280,000 e-books in its collections. There are also e-books in its over 20 area studies libraries.
Online students have remote access to these libraries and their contents. UIUC also facilitates access to the EBSCO Discovery Service, HathiTrust, and databases.
University of California Berkeley
UC Berkeley offers free e-books for college students, whether it’s for recreation or academics. Students can use the library’s main search tools to search and download them. Support services include the Ask a Librarian service and ILLs.
Aside from e-books, these include databases and journals across diverse disciplines. Students must use their CalNet ID to access these resources. Remote access is possible via the Library Proxy Service.
University of Chicago
The Maroons have among the top libraries for research and academics, too. The University of Chicago Library consists of 13.2 million volumes of books and e-books. Students can access more than 304 terabytes of digitized collections and born-digital archives.
Remote access is via the library website itself (i.e., Borrow and Request). There’s an Ask a Librarian service and search tools.
Yale University
Amassed for over 300 years, Yale University Library’s collections consist of 15 million items. More than 500 staff members ensure that students enjoy digital library benefits. Students use its extensive digital resources for learning and research.
The extensive digital collections include ebooks in the arts, law, medicine, and more. Library services include Your Personal Librarian, Subject Specialists, and Off-Campus Access.
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan Library consists of 38 libraries that offer an extensive collection of e-books and digital resources. Indeed, U-Mich is a leader in the digitization of printed books via DLPS. Its DLXS provides users, including students, with a user-friendly interface for access.
Students praise the depth and breadth of the U-Mich collections, too. Digitized collections include the Art, Architecture and Engineering Library, Herbarium Library, and Bentley Historical Library.
Columbia University
With over 15 million items, the Columbia University Libraries is among the world’s largest academic library systems. Students can access comprehensive electronic resources, including e-books. There are also digital databases, scholarly journals, and multimedia items. The number of digital volumes – 7 million.
Columbia also maintains extensive library partnerships across the globe. Students can request access to the vast collections of these partner universities, too.
Students must use their login credentials to access the libraries. Off-campus access is possible through the Columbia University VPN or CUIT.
University of Texas at Austin
UT Austin Libraries feature more than 10 million items, among the country’s largest. These include an extensive array of digital collections, including e-books, databases, and journals. There are more than 1.5 million digital items in diverse academic disciplines, from arts to STEM.
Online students should use their login credentials to access these resources. UT Austin’s VPN service is the way to go.
University of Pennsylvania
UPenn Libraries consist of 19 brick-and-mortar libraries and a digital library. Both are known for their extensive collections that highlight UPenn’s rich history and innovation. Students have access to more than 1.5 million e-books, journals, and multimedia resources in its digital library.
How to Access E-Books from University Libraries
University library e-book access comes in many forms. You should ask a librarian about the specific methods of access for different users. Current students, faculty, staff members, and alumni usually have different access than non-students and other users.
Here are the common methods to access e-books in university libraries:
Student log-ins
If you’re a current student, your student ID is your ticket to search and access the library’s e-books. You can use its search tools and databases, usually on a 24/7 basis. Plus, you may not have to pay an access fee because it’s included in your matriculation.
Interlibrary Loan Services (ILL)
Many university libraries also have partnerships with other university libraries. The Big Ten Academic Alliance, for example, has ILL agreements. UIUC and U-M are part of the BTAA, and thus, their students can request e-books from other universities.
In an ILL agreement, e-books are delivered digitally. Students either receive download links or access codes. These services may either be free or with a nominal fee, depending on the types of e-books.
Library platforms and apps
Many universities have their own library apps, such as the Harvard Library App. Some universities also use third-party apps, such as OverDrive and Libby. Kindle and Nook users can also download e-books to their devices.
Open Educational Resources (OER)
These are free and accessible academic resources that university libraries offer. You can also explore MERLOT and OpenStax for more e-books.
If you’re struggling with access fees, you should explore financial aid and e-book alternatives. The latter includes used books and textbook rentals.
Benefits of Using University E-Books for Online Students
If you’re an online student, e-books make more sense than printed books. Here are the reasons why:
Cost savings
College students spend $174 on new printed textbooks per year. In comparison, e-books are 50% more affordable than printed books. There are also no shipping costs that add to the expense. E-books can have multi-user licenses (i.e., more students can access them).
Instant and 24/7 accessibility
E-books match the on-demand availability and convenient access of online programs. You can access e-books anytime and from anywhere using your Internet-connected device. There’s even offline access.
Enhanced online learning experience
E-books boost your online learning experiences through interactive features and a personalized reading experience. Real-time updates and searchable content are also among the reasons.
Tips for Maximizing University E-Book Resources
Yes, e-books are valuable resources for college students. However, these are only tools and as such, they are useless on their own. You must use them to your advantage by keeping these tips in mind:
- Use the advanced search tools for more efficient author and topic searches. These include keyword optimization, filters, and cross-database searching.
- Highlight and bookmark e-books and other key resources. Export notes and use annotations, too.
- Take advantage of citation management tools.
- Leverage accessibility features, such as text-to-speech, to suit your learning style.
- Download e-books, if possible, for easy offline use.
- Be informed about updates in e-books as well as new features and services.
- Work with your peers in using e-books.
In the end, e-books are like printed books – you can either use them or waste them.
Conclusion: Choosing Universities with Robust E-Book Libraries
The best online library resources 2024 has to offer are there for the taking – your taking, for that matter. E-books bring many benefits during your college journey. You can save on textbook costs, enjoy instant 24/7 access, and get access to diverse resources.
So, when you’re making a college decision, consider the e-book collection. Be sure to take into account its depth and breadth, affordability, and accessibility. This way, you’ll get the best of both worlds, book-wise – quality and affordability.