Textbooks at Salford – Our Commitment

Our actions are driven by the following principles, which have been approved and adopted at the University's Education and Student Experience Committee.

1. Cost control: We refuse to engage in unsustainable licensing agreements or purchase e-books that are subject to unjustified price hikes.
2. Fair licensing: We demand licences that go beyond restrictive "one copy, one user" models. Our priority is to safeguard our investment, ensuring that purchased content cannot be removed without notice.
3. Accessibility: We prioritise licences that support long-term preservation, are device-agnostic, and include materials that are free of Digital Rights Management for maximum accessibility.

Why this matters

The escalating costs of textbooks, particularly eTextbooks, are creating a crisis in access to essential reading materials. Publishers are increasingly limiting our ability to provide equitable access, by:

• Imposing stringent access requirements for eTextbooks.
• Refusing to sell eTextbooks to libraries.
• Failing to offer textbooks in electronic formats.
• Escalating costs through restrictive 1-to-1 purchase models and costly bundles.
• Withdrawing previously available electronic textbooks from the market.

Some publishers prioritise individual sales over institutional access, meaning that even if an eBook is available for personal purchase, it may not be accessible to our Library for student use. Despite our best efforts, institutional copies are not always available.

Our approach at the University of Salford

• Expanding access: We provide access to more than 800,000 eBooks and have recently acquired a significant number of additional resources on affordable sustainable models.
• Supporting Open Access: We actively support open access book initiatives and are committed to open pedagogy and open research.
• Investing in Open Educational Resources (OER): The University is dedicated to developing and funding OER and Open-Source Textbooks to ease financial burdens.
• Building Partnerships: We are forging partnerships to advance open content solutions, with academic collaboration being crucial to their success.

How you can support

• For Salford academic authors: Ensure your textbooks are available to the library at affordable and sustainable rates. Consult with the Library before negotiating or finalising your agreements with publishers.
• For all academic staff: Collaborate with the Library to ensure recommended resources are both affordable and accessible. Explore and offer alternatives when needed.
• OER development: Partner with the Library to create, adapt, and adopt Open Content Solutions*, reducing costs for both the University and our students.
• Engagement with publishers: Champion the University’s stance in discussions with publishers and academic peers across the sector.

*Open Content Solutions refer to digital materials and resources that are freely available for use, modification, and distribution, typically under open licences. These solutions can include educational content, software, and media, enabling users to access, adapt, and share them without restrictions.

Partnering with the Library

• Academic colleagues: Work with us to develop alternative solutions that best serve our students.
• Other academic libraries and sector partners: Join us in identifying and funding alternative solutions, such as Open-Source textbooks*.
• Publishers and industry partners: Collaborate with us to create and supply acquisition models that meet the needs of the University and the wider academic community.

*An Open-Source textbook is a freely accessible, digital textbook that is licensed to allow users to read, download, and modify its content. Created under open licences such as Creative Commons, it encourages collaboration, adaptation, and distribution without cost.