CarmenBooks for Instructors

CarmenBooks is an Inclusive Access program that offers digital copies of selected textbooks for a fraction of the cost of a new, physical copy, as well as discounted access to publisher homework systems.

With CarmenBooks, students can:

  • Save up to 80% off retail price for your course materials
  • Access publisher homework systems you already use, at a significant discount
  • Access digital course materials through CarmenCanvas
  • Retain access to digital course materials while students at Ohio State

As an instructor, providing a lower cost and easily accessible option for your course materials helps set students up for success from Day 1 of the semester.

How to Get Involved

For more information or to get started with CarmenBooks, contact carmenbooks@osu.edu. Be sure to include your course name and current textbook information (title, edition, publisher, etc.) A member of the Affordable Learning Exchange team will work with you to see if CarmenBooks is the right fit for your course.

Faculty Showcase - Jennie Babcock (CarmenBooks)

At the 2018 Faculty Showcase, teaching staff and students shared their experiences with academic technology at Ohio State. Check out Undergraduate Studies Director Jennie Babcock, who has been piloting CarmenBooks. This new initiative allows her and other instructors to use digital copies of textbooks and offer a major cost savings to students. What could be better? How about knowing that those digital textbooks are available directly within Carmen, providing easy and timely access for students!

FAQs

How can I let students know that I am participating in CarmenBooks?

We recommend mentioning in your syllabus that your course uses CarmenBooks. You should also make your syllabus available on syllabus.osu.edu, where students are likely to research courses before they register.

As students register for courses, those course sections participating in CarmenBooks will be indicated within the registration system. Additionally, any student who registers for a CarmenBooks course section will automatically receive an email with additional information and the option to opt out.

What options do students have for participating?

Students who enroll in the course are automatically included and charged for their materials. Students do have the option to opt out before and until the class session’s 100% Add/Drop date. If they opt-out or drop the class before that date, they are issued a full refund. Otherwise they are charged for the materials. There are no partial refunds.

Do I have to enable anything in Carmen for students to access my chosen course materials?

No. Digital books and publisher homework systems are made available through a tool called RedShelf. In Carmen, this tool will appear to you and your students as CarmenBooks and will be accessible from the global navigation as well as the menu within your course.

When do I have to commit to using CarmenBooks? How long does that commitment last?

Instructors must commit and order their course materials for a given semester before the order period closes, typically about a month before students begin registering for classes for the given semester. Any instructor who expresses interest in CarmenBooks by contacting carmenbooks@osu.edu will more information and ordering instructions and deadlines.

There is no long-term commitment required for CarmenBooks. In fact, participants are asked to reconfirm their orders each semester. This allows faculty to not only opt out of participation, but also change their instructional materials at any point.

What if I assign multiple books for my class?

When ordering your materials, you are able to assign multiple digital textbooks or combinations of textbooks, courseware and other materials to a course.