Kortext launches new university eBookStore, relieving pressure on library budgets

This month saw the launch of Kortext’s university eBookStore – a service now available to all Higher Education institutions.  

With the support of Kortext, universities can set up their own branded eBookStore, giving their students access to 2 million eTextbooks from over 4,700 leading academic publishers such as Wiley, McGraw Hill and Oxford University Press.  

Supporting university library budgets

The launch comes as Kortext’s Annual Librarian Survey reveals a concern amongst the university library community that their libraries will not be adequately funded to meet student needs. This is despite 60% of librarians saying that their involvement in teaching and learning is set to increase in the next 12 months.   

With rising student numbers, shrinking university budgets, and mixed opinions on whether or not students should be paying extra for their core reading materials, the eBookStore provides an alternative way for students to purchase their textbooks at competitive prices, relieving undue pressure on the library.  

The eBookStore also links seamlessly with course reading lists, which can be added into a student’s account to highlight their essential, recommended and background reading, directing them towards the right learning content that will help them succeed in their studies. 

Any book a student buys is then added to their Kortext bookshelf where they can benefit from all the interactive study features available on the Kortext Arcturus platform. Consequently, the student has their university-supplied and own purchased content all in one place!  

Tackling the student cost of living crisis 

Whilst universities are themselves battling insubstantial budgets and focusing on affordability, it cannot be forgotten that the cost-of-living crisis is very real among students too, with recent NUS research suggesting that 1 in 4 have less than £50 to live off a month, and over half with a student loan or bursary believing that it doesn’t cover their cost of living. 

Many students are paying large amounts every month on learning materials, spending on average £128 at the start of the year alone. In instances where the university  cannot cover the cost of core reading materials, establishing a university eBookStore to support students can make all the difference.   

Unlike stores such as Amazon, Kortext can provide institutions with agreed eTextbook discounts that they can pass on to their students to ease the financial burden.  

To find out more about setting up an eBookstore at your institution, please contact marketing@kortext.com. Existing Kortext partner universities should contact their account manager directly for details.