#ebookSOS: how the pandemic has impacted on learning resources and what we’re doing about it at the University of Worcester

Maintaining teaching excellence includes learning resources that support and engage students. Over the course of the pandemic, ‘digital first’ policies for book purchasing have paid dividends providing online access to resources during successive lockdowns and limited physical library access.
The ebook publishing landscape has always been complex, with restrictive licensing and access options, and frequently prohibitive costs. The last 12 months, however, have seen rampant profiteering from many publishers seeking to take advantage of student need for ebooks, culminating in the #ebookSOS campaign which calls for an independent investigation into ebook publishing practices.
This session will reflect on what the University of Worcester has been doing to raise academic awareness around ebook publishing and purchasing, including a success story from the School of Education where working in partnership with Library Services has helped academics make informed choices about publishing in line with their values as inclusive practitioners.