More on Freeload Press Freeload Press, which publishes OA textbooks supported by ads, is expanding its line.
From today's announcement: Following a highly successful beta launch, Freeload Press, Inc. (FP) announced today the expansion of its unique free textbook initiative. The company plans on providing one million free downloads of college e-textbooks and study aids--all supported by commercial sponsors. Staffed by experienced academicians, entrepreneurs and former textbook publishers, FP developed a breakthrough model providing students with free e-book versions of textbooks. Students download free e-books from FPs distribution web site, freeloadpress.com. The e-books, which are in Adobes PDF format, contain sponsors advertising or marketing messages. Corporate sponsors, among them FedEx Kinkos, pay FP to place unobtrusive messages in e-books at natural breaks in the text and layout. Paperback versions of the e-books, with advertising, can also be purchased for 65% less than comparable textbooks for the same courses. Halfway through the beta launch season, FP model has been used for 75 courses in over a dozen
colleges, including U of Texas, Georgia Tech and U-Mass Lowell. The company estimates its beta list of books will save students over $500,000 in textbook costs this year. College instructors at over 350 colleges are registered and reviewing FPs offerings for next years courses with users.... The student survey data is trending at more than 97% approval rate of the model, said Ivancevich. and the instructor approval rating is north of 80%--which is well beyond the original forecast we conducted to launch the business. Instructors are more concerned with the high price of textbooks than we anticipated.