Collection Management Services

The Zero-cost eTextbooks reading list helps students find course textbooks that are available to them through the library at no cost. It's updated every term based on information shared by the Bookstore to reserves@uvic.ca by the 15th of the month before term starts.

We also create a spreadsheet to calculate how much money students could save by accessing these resources through the library rather than buying them.

All files are found in Teams in Reserves > eTextbooks for Students.

Prepare the tracking worksheet

1. Open zeroCost-eTextbooks-tracker.xlsx. Copy the headings from the Template tab into a new worksheet and name it for the term you're working on.
2. Copy the information for required resources only from the spreadsheet shared by the Bookstore into the new worksheet. This usually includes the blue headings Course, Section, ISBN, Textbook Title, and Edition.
3. Sort the data by course code: Select the entire sheet → Sort & Filter → Custom Sort. Make sure the My data has headers box is checked and it's set to sort by Course. Click OK.
4. Open the Zero-Cost eTextbooks for Students reading list.
   • If you're entering information for fall, rollover the list for the new academic year. Update the title and delete existing items, but keep the department sections. Note: Reuse the existing link, since that's what the QR code on our promo materials links to.
   • If you're entering information for spring or summer, add to the existing list.

Populate the reading list

Working course-by-course, add items on the list in the worksheet to the reading list.

1. Add each item using the Search the library option. Search by ISBN first. If you search by title or author, make sure you're adding the correct edition. 
   • Lightly clean up the citation (e.g., remove all-caps, delete extra spaces, ensure all authors are listed, delete OCLC numbers).
   • In the Item actions tab, add the course information as a Note for students, e.g., ADMN 421 A01 & A02 and ADMN 500 A01 | fall.
   • In the same tab, add a Required tag. You can also add this tag to all items at once if you prefer.
2. If the item is in the library catalogue, enter Y in the eTextbook List? column in the tracking sheet. If it's not, enter N.

Note: The reading list has sections for each department to help students find their textbooks. If a textbook is used in multiple departments, copy and edit the citation so it appears in each department section.

Complete the tracking sheet 

Complete the green columns in the tracking spreadsheet using information from the Bookstore website.

1. On the Bookstore's Textbooks page, search for the course you're working on. Select all the relevant sections, then click Find my Textbooks.
2. Complete the Textbook Cost column in the tracking sheet for each textbook added to the reading list.
   • If print and eBook versions are both listed and students are instructed to choose one, use the eBook unless the print edition is less expensive.
   • If the price isn't listed, search for the textbook on Amazon and record that price, noting this in the Notes column.

Calculate student savings

Complete the orange columns in the tracking spreadsheet to calculate the savings enabled.

1. Look up the enrollment for each course and record it in the Enrollment column. There are several ways to do this:
   • In Banner, in the Section Status column (e.g., if 6 of 100 seats remain, enrollment is 94). Use Banner for inactive courses.
   • In the Undergraduate Calendar or Graduate Calendar. 
   • In Alma, in the Course > Students tab. An option for Continuing Education courses if they aren't in Banner.  
2. Enter this enrollment number for every textbook used in that section (e.g., if A01 uses two textbooks, enter the enrollment in both textbook rows in the tracking sheet).
3. The Savings enabled column should automatically calculate the Textbook Cost (H2) x Enrollment (K2). If it doesn't, use this formula: =H2*K2.
4. To calculate the total savings for the term, enter this formula in the row beneath the final row of textbooks: =sum(L2:Ln), where Ln is the final textbook row.