UO Libraries automatically and proactively purchases library eBooks to support courses with 15 or more students enrolled. When instructors report required course materials to the Duck Store, the library will attempt to purchase those books while funds last and where publishers allow. Some major academic publishers block textbook sales to libraries, so not every book can be purchased. Please note: not every library eBook is appropriate for use in courses, as some books have "limited" licenses that only allow one student at a time to access the book. Please review the license information below or reach out to the OER & Textbook Affordability Team if you have questions about an eBook license.

If the Libraries proactively purchase an eBook for a UO course, we will notify the instructor of record via email. The email notification will explain any license restrictions and tell instructors how to notify students about how to access purchased library eBooks. There is no obligation to notify or recommend library eBooks to your students, but if they're a good fit for your course, we would appreciate it if you share with your students through an announcement and/or your syllabus.

If you'd like to ensure a book is available and on our purchase list, instructors can always contact us directly to request a book for a course. We will let you know if the book you requested is available for purchase, and can work with you to find other options if it is not. Purchasing new eBooks can take several weeks, so if you have eBook requests, you must submit them well before the start of term if you need them to be available for the first day of classes.

Library eBook Licenses

When libraries purchase eBooks, they purchases licenses that govern how library users can access the book. There are two main types of licenses libraries purchase when they buy eBooks: unlimited licenses and limited licenses. When we purchase books for use in courses we always attempt to buy unlimited access eBooks to ensure all students can access the book at the same time. If we purchase an eBook for one of your courses, we'll let you know what type of license the eBooks has and what that means for student access.

Unlimited Licenses

An unlimited license means that an unlimited number of students can access an eBook simultaneously. According to the University of Arizona, about 20% of titles are available to libraries with unlimited licenses.

Limited Licenses

Sometimes publishers do not sell unlimited licenses to libraries, and the only option is to purchase a limited license. If too many students try to access the limited license eBook at the same time, some will be denied access. If we notice that a lot of students are trying to access a book, we'll attempt to buy additional copies automatically, but it may take a few days for the new licenses to be available. So what does this mean for you and your students? In many cases students won't access the book concurrently, so we'll be able to keep up for demand on the book, but if students want guaranteed access at all times to a limited user eBook, they should consider purchasing the book. This can be an issue if you need all students to use the book in class or during open book exams.

Print Options and Course Reserves

The automatic and proactive purchasing program only applies to eBooks. To make sure print copies of required materials are available for students, faculty can put a personal copy of a book on Course Reserves, or request that the library purchase a print copy through the Course Reserves request form.