The Future of Digital Casebooks

Robert Ambrogi reports on a conference of 40 legal
academics and law-book publishers held Sept. 27 on the
topic of the future of the legal course book. The conference
was organized by Ronald K.L. Collins of the
First Amendment Center in D.C. and David Skover of
Seattle University School of Law.

Excerpts from Ambrogi's post as it appeared on Legal
Blog Watch (10/8/2008) :

"Seattle Post-Intelligencer reporter Andrea James concluded
that traditional publishers are confused about what professors
want and where the industry is heading, she writes, while
teachers want more flexibility in course materials and new
ways to engage students. Equally clear was that electronic
course books could be just the ticket."

The next step? Conference participants have agreed to
form a "loose consortium" to foster the development
and promotion of electronic course materials.

Another report on the workshop appears in the Chronicle of Higher
Education (10/1/2008).