Online text books for university idea

[CharlieB]

Hi

I've had an idea for a website where university text books are available online for a monthly subscription basis. As text books are very expensive, students like myself can't always afford them and they quickly get borrowed in the library. My idea is for students to pay a monthly subscription fee and they can get the recommended text books for their course online.

I did contact a text book publishers to see if I could license the text book to enable me to do this but they said no as it would adversely affect their sales, which is understandable.

Is there any other way this idea could work? It definitely solves a problem but im not sure how else it could work without licensing permission.

Thanks

Charlie

[KyleXY]

1. Without permission, no. You'd get sued to kingdom come.

2. Chegg allows students to rent textbooks for a lot cheaper than it would cost them to buy (similar to what netflix is for the movie industry) already.

3. For digital rights, Kno has the permission and is more than just a simple textbook. Watch vid. It's basically a Dual-Screen tablet designed specifically for education, with a touch sensitive interface like the iPad but also with a stylus to allow for note taking directly on there along with a library of textbooks as well as an app market that overlaps.

There is massive competition in that space and unfortunately, all these guys have the license and backing and is already ahead in the game. Chegg is the Google of the space at the moment. That's not to say you can't compete and by no means am I discouraging you but I don't think you've done enough research if at all into the space and if you can't get the publishers to agree to do an online format, you're pretty much not going to get anywhere without getting sued eventually.

[MatthewCDowell]

The only way I can see this working is via kindle or any other e-reader device. you're correct in your assumption that textbooks are expensive and not everyone has the money nor wants to purchase them every semester.

However, there is and always will exist a divide between those who prefer holding paper and reading it over an electronic device or screen.

You do need the publishers permission which is why you'd want to give them comission that is agreeable to their sales figures.

my suggestion: do some research on the textbook industry, interview professors and or publishing companies about how their system works and go from there

[entrepreneurrebel]

Sorry to burst your bubble but CourseSmart.com has beaten you to the punch.

[harry7007]

Start your own library, charge more.

[CharlieB]

ive looked at course smart and while they are doing exactly what I want to do, they don't have the text books that I need for my course at university in England. I've emailed the publisher to see if I could license their books to publish online and predictably they said no as it would affect their sales, even though I offered them commision. I'm wondering if there is anyway around this eg getting the writers assigned to my website so more people can be influenced by their books.

Alternatively does anyone know any other way around this?

[Dollarmaker]

Hi CharlieB,
your idea sounds good but when I think longer about it...I donna.
If you have books it's easier to learn. If you read in online books you always have to open your PC or IPad and your permanent residency will be an office or your home...Do you have interested customers?