If adopted permanently, the new pilot e-book initiative could significantly decrease textbook costs for students. Photo by Thomas Bynum

More than 400 University students in eight different courses will use free e-books this semester as part of a pilot program taking place in four other universities across the country.

The initiative, sponsored by Internet2, McGraw-Hill and the Courseload eText Pilot Trail Pack, aims to provide students with convenient and cost-effective access to textbooks. It is accessible via UVaCollab.

“We are aggregating demand for the eTexts across five universities, achieving economies of scale,” Michael McPherson, University associate vice president and deputy chief information officer, said in an email. “We are integrating access into UVaCollab, providing ease of access across multiple devices; we are adopting eTexts as the standard for the pilot courses, [and] enabling new uses both in and out of the classroom.”

The initiative, if implemented permanently, would require students to pay a course materials fee to their respective university. The money would then allow students to purchase e-books at discounted prices.

Students receive McGraw-Hill eTexts, the Courseload reader and an annotation platform integrated with their Learning Management System. Courseload software allows students to print, share annotations with classmates and instructors, and access eTexts on any computer, smartphone or tablet. Students can also purchase a print-on-demand version of the eText for a fee if they prefer a hardcopy book.

If this model is adopted, the University expects to see significant savings for students. Such initiatives have already succeeded at schools like Indiana University.

In addition to cost savings, e-books also have some technological advantages compared to print textbooks. “Instructors can annotate portions of the text for all students to see, and can enable students to share their annotations with the class,” McPherson said.

The other four universities taking part in this project are Cornell University, the University of California at Berkeley, the University of Minnesota and the University of Wisconsin, according to a McGraw-Hill press release.

—Grace Hollis contributed with reporting.