FAQs

What is Book Launch? 

Book Launch, an exciting program through The Office of Distance Education and eLearning (ODEE), allows undergraduate and graduate students, professors, and faculty at The Ohio State University the opportunity to write, design, and create their own interactive, multi-touch digital books using the iBooks Author application, as well as other eBook publishing tools.  Readers may then access these books through their personal laptops, iPads, and smartphones in order to create a convenient, portable environment for reading.  However, the convenience of such books remain only a fragment of the attraction for creating these books which supply interactive features for the reader that would not be possible for printed books and promote creative choices for displaying diagrams, charts, illustrations, widgets, and more.

How does one become involved in Book Launch projects?

To become involved with the Book Launch projects, one must begin by originating an idea for your book.  After planning the content of the book, one must submit an application to The Office of Distance Education and eLearning in order for the topic to be reviewed for consideration.  The Book Launch team at the ODEE selects topics based on many factors, such as topic and content length, and will usually select 6-12 project topics to pursue for a single cohort.  Throughout the year the ODEE Book Launch team selects candidates for cohorts every 6 months. Check here to learn more about the program and find out when our next cycle begins.

What is the time commitment for those who are chosen?

The project lifecycle spans a 5-month period, and is timed to allow books to be completed and published publicly via the iBooks Store or other vendor immediately before the start of a semester, generally in November or July of each year. Although the production process varies for each project, the ODEE Book Launch team recommends that anyone applying for a cohort reserves at least 6 months to complete their projects.

What are the advantages of using Book Launch as opposed to other programs or projects?

By creating a book through the Book Launch Program, it allows for members of the cohorts to have access to personal training and assistance from individuals just off campus at The Office of Distance and eLearning for technical issues or design deliberation.  As well as support and collaboration with the ODEE staff, the program cohort members will be using, iBooks, proves extremely user friendly, especially if one retains previous experience with Mac devices, computers, or their applications.

Do I (the user) have to know the program before I apply to a cohort?

No, members of the cohorts have access to the ODEE Book Launch team members who will assist in teaching the iBooks program to any new user.  Along with one-on-one assistance in workshops and “iBook Bootcamps” developed by the Book Launch team, they also work to compile resources on the Book Launch Blog (u.osu.edu/booklaunch) for members of the cohorts, including video tutorials, help articles, and instructions.  These online resources allow for individuals to work at their own pace and independently of other cohort members to maximize time and efficiency.

Who will be assisting me (the user) in designing my project and troubleshooting?

The Office of Distance Education and eLearning Book Launch team’s responsibilities not only include teaching the members of the cohorts the iBook program, but also troubleshooting problems members of the cohorts might have while working on their projects.  The ODEE Book Launch team also assists cohort members in suggesting design elements for important information within their projects and assisting cohort members in creating interactive components for their projects.