Publications and Research
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2026
Abstract
Assigning library e-books as course textbooks can help to alleviate the financial burden of college for many students. Accordingly, libraries include e-books in their collection development policies and strive to educate users on the availability of these texts via the use of library research guides. Previous studies discuss library collection strategies and intentions to use e-books as textbooks, but do not discuss continuous or permanent plans. This study examined library policies at Hispanic Service Institutions (HSI’s) and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’s) to evaluate how these libraries approach and document their acquisitions of library e-books. Research guides at the same institutions were reviewed for instances of educating students and instructors on using library e-books as textbooks. Findings reinforce that libraries are actively purchasing and subscribing to e-books for course use because of advantages such as multi-user access, accessibility, and potential for high usage. Further, some libraries are documenting their acquisitions approaches and certain drawbacks like limited licenses and maintaining funding. Results also emphasize the importance of educating instructors and students regarding access limits, seeking assistance from librarians, and instructional support. This research highlights the active roles libraries play in acquiring e-books and educating students and instructors on best practices for effective use.
Comments
This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis Group in Collection Management on 06/21/2026, available online: https://doi.org/10.1080/01462679.2026.2689319