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Open Educational Resources

Can faculty use ELAC Library eBooks in ZTC courses?

Libraries are under significant constraints when it comes to eBook licensing. When buying eBooks we also buy a specific license for the number of users that can access that eBook. Some eBooks only allow a single user to access the book at a time, some three. While harder to procure, there are some titles that are available to unlimited users.

You can use these books in your classes and still designate the course as ZTC. OER means freely available and flexible copyright licensing for reuse and remixing; however, in California, as long as the student is able to access things 100% freely then the course can be technically ZTC. 

Find eBook titles (updated 10/2025) that allow unlimited simultaneous users. For the ProQuest and EBSCO owned titles, sort by simultaneous users. Note that all titles in Gale eBooks, Oxford Very Short Introductions, and ProQuest and EBSCO Subscription Collections are available for unlimited simultaneous use.

Spreadsheet Key:

  • DRM-Free: These titles have no user access, download, saving, printing, or copying limitations.
  • Access Model: eBook vendors set prices based on how many users can access an eBook simultaneously. Price options usually include a 1-user, 3-user, or unlimited-user price. 
  • Unlimited Use: Titles with no limits on the number of concurrent (simultaneous) users. 
  • 1 or 3-User: Titles for which access is limited to 1 or 3 users at a time. 
  • EBSCO Owned or ProQuest Owned: Titles the library purchased and owns permanently.

How can I find course-relevant ELAC Library eBooks?

  • Search library eBooks (updated 10/2025). Sort by title, subject, pub date, number of simultaneous users, DRM-free status, etc.
  • Use the library's OneSearch tool to search most eBooks in our eBook collections. 
  • Directly search the library's eBook collections by keyword, title, or subject. 
    • Gale eBooks and Very Short Introductions have no limits on simultaneous use.
    • EBSCO and ProQuest Subscription titles have no limits on simultaneous use.
  • Online Textbook Collection: Access library eBooks assigned as textbooks in select courses.
  • Contact E-Resources Librarian Amy Guy (guyal@elac.edu | ext. 3775) for assistance with eBooks.