RALEIGH, NC, Oct. 30, 2024, a leading education technology solutions provider, announced a strategic partnership with the University of Wolverhamptonthat will provide thousands of core eTextbooks for the 2024-2025 academic year to all students at the university. The initiative provides students with access to the essential textbooks they need via the library's relationship with VitalSource, under the Joint Consortium Framework Agreement.
"The University is entering its fourth year of providing eTextbooks to students and while negotiating this evolving market is not without challenges, the benefits to our students remain clear. This new partnership with VitalSource allows our library, with its expert staff and central role, to continue to deliver an integrated eTextbook program for simultaneous, remote, and unlimited access to quality learning resources." said Luke Fowler, Head of Library Content, Digital and Research Support, the University of Wolverhampton. "With a broad catalogue and transparent, easy communication with the VitalSource team, we were able to quickly and effectively launch this partnership and make a difference for our students right away."
The partnership with VitalSource brings a new level of collaboration for the university and publisher partners resulting in a better learning experience for Wolverhampton students. The university had long prioritized digital-first reading lists, but access to premium textbooks in electronic format was historically limited, leaving thousands of essential titles available only in print. The COVID lockdowns and the growing demand for distance learning led the university to reconsider how it supported remote students, with a focus on equity of access, especially since purchasing expensive textbooks was an additional hidden cost for many students.
"We're proud to be the chosen partner with the University of Wolverhampton to power this eTextbook project in the U.K.," said Alice Duijser, Vice President and Managing Director for Europe, Middle East & Africa, Asia Pacific and Latin America, VitalSource. "This innovative partnership between VitalSource and Wolverhampton will move forward the conversation on eTextbook provision in the U.K. for years to come and will improve access to critical course materials for thousands of students."
The appointment of VitalSource as the new supplier for the university project is the result of successful collaborative work with the top academic publishers at the institution around new commercial modelling and availability of key texts, as well as premium functionality within the VitalSource platform. Wolverhampton students will have unlimited access to many of the eTextbook titles on their course reading lists. With VitalSource Bookshelf®, students will learn using the industry's best ereader and study tools including Bookshelf CoachMe®, the award-winning, learning science backed, AI study tool that provides embedded practice with immediate feedback in a low-stakes, confidence-boosting environment.
About VitalSource
VitalSource Technologies, LLC is the leading education technology solutions provider committed to helping partners create, deliver, and distribute affordable, accessible, and impactful learning experiences worldwide. As a recognized innovator in the digital course materials market, VitalSource is best known for partnering with thousands of publishers and resellers to deliver extraordinary learning experiences to millions of active users globally-and today we're also powering new, cutting-edge technologies designed to optimize teaching and learning for maximum results. Learn more at https://get.vitalsource.com and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
