[Athen] publisher unwilling to provide a PDF

[Romack, Justin]

Howdy Tiffany!

Yes, it’s frustrating and challenging when a publisher refuses to share a digital file.

The publisher’s response, all be it unhelpful and uncooperative, is not inaccurate. You can send them a Dear Colleague letter and let them know all of the reasons why their materials should be accessible to this student – but ultimately your institution is on the hook for making it happen.

In these situations, I’ll do one of two things:


  1.  I’ll ask the student if I can cut and scan their copy of the material. Many times, if they have no intent to keep the book after the class, our bookstore will buy back the re-bound materials and not penalize the student’s buy-back price.
  2.  If the student is unwilling to have their copy cut, I’ll just buy the PDF. Yes, the publisher has double-dipped here, but they run a business and, frankly, aren’t held to the same compliance measures as our institutions.



What’s the book? Maybe one of us here may have a copy to share?



Thanks! 😊



Be well,

J






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Justin Romack  | Assistive Technology Coordinator
Disability Resources | Texas A&M University
1224 TAMU | College Station, TX 77843-1224

ph: 979.845.1637 | justinr at disability.tamu.edu<mailto:justinr at disability.tamu.edu> | disability.tamu.edu
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DIVISION OF STUDENT AFFAIRS | One Division. One Mission

From: athen-list <athen-list-bounces at mailman12.u.washington.edu> On Behalf Of Tiffany Kennell
Sent: Thursday, June 30, 2022 3:50 PM
To: athen-list at u.washington.edu
Subject: [Athen] publisher unwilling to provide a PDF

Hello,  I have run into a publisher who is unwilling to provide a PDF. It has been many years, but I used to have a "Dear Colleague" letter that I would use for this kind of situation, but I can't find it now. Please share with
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Hello,

I have run into a publisher who is unwilling to provide a PDF. It has been many years, but I used to have a "Dear Colleague" letter that I would use for this kind of situation, but I can't find it now. Please share with me what you say when a publisher says it is the college's responsibility to buy the PDF even when the student has already done so.

Thank you!


Tiffany Kennell, BS
Chemeketa Community College
Student Accessibility Services
tiffany.kennell at chemeketa.edu<mailto:tiffany.kennell at chemeketa.edu>
503.399.5192

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