Open Educational Resources (OER)

NOTE: As we configure our Pressbooks instance, some of the graphics and processes may change.  We will keep this guide updated as much as possible.  Thank you, in advance, for your patience.

You can also access: https://pressbooks.library.virginia.edu/getting-started/ for a guided walkthrough.  

The following steps detail how to create an account in UVA Pressbooks:

1. Navigate to: https://pressbooks.library.virginia.edu/

2. Select Sign In from the upper right corner
   

3. You will be prompted to Netbadge authenticate.  

4. Portions of your profile will be auto-populated based on your University information.  You may edit your profile to include additional information:
   
   

5. Once editing is complete, select Update Profile. 

5 Simple Steps to Get Going in Pressbooks

Once you have created your account, navigate to 'Admin:'


 

Step 1: Create Your Book

Once you have created your account and have received notification that it has been configured, you may begin by creating the 'shell' of your book.  

1. Login to your Admin Dashboard & Click the 'Add New' button:

If you already have an account on an EDU or self-hosted Pressbooks network, you can create a book by doing the following:

1. Login to your admin dashboard & click the ‘Add New‘ button:
   
   
    
2. Fill in your desired webbook address and book title and click the ‘Create Book‘ button.  Note:Your webbook address cannot be changed later, so choose this value carefully. The book title can be easily changed at any point in the future.
   
    

Step 2: Add Your Book Information 

The Book Info page is where you add and edit important information (metadata) about your book. 

1. From your book dashboard, click 'Book Info.'
   
   
   2. Enter your desired Book Information and click 'Save' in the 'Save Book Information' widget. 
   

Step 3: Add and Organize Your Text

You can add and organize your text from the Organize  page in the left sidebar menu of your book dashboard.  The organize page will allow you to see all of your existing content, its order, and its display status. You'll see the three main components of your book on this page:

Front Matter: Content in this section may include your introduction, foreword, dedication, and more.  Read more about Front Matter. 

Parts & Chapters: These comprise the main body of your book.  Your book can contain one or more Parts.  Each part can contain one or more Chapters.  Learn more about adding Parts and adding Chapters.  

Back Matter: Content in this section may include your epilogue, appendix, information about contributors, and more.  Learn more about Back Matter. 

For more information on other ways to import your text into Pressbooks, review How to Get Your Book into Pressbooks.

Step 4: Choose Your Book Theme

Once you've entered or imported the content that will make up your book, you can select and apply your preferred Theme. Each Pressbooks theme is a unique template which governs the display of your webbook and export formats (including PDF and ebook exports).

Browse available themes by clicking Appearance > Themes from your Book Dashboard:

Once you’ve selected a theme, you can customize several of the design elements for your webbook and export files using Theme Options or Custom CSS.

Step 5: Export Your Book 

Once you're happy with the appearance of your book, you can publish it to the web as a webbook or produce exports for distribution or sale.  To produce and download export files for your book, click 'Export' from your book Dashboard:

 
Content remixed from Pressbooks User Guide by Pressbooks and is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Pressbooks Support at UVA Library

The Library will be offering periodic Pressbooks information sessions and workshops.  These sessions will be recorded and shared in on this page.  

For UVA-related Pressbooks questions, please contact: pressbookssupport@virginia.edu
 

Pressbooks Training 

We encourage Pressbooks users to utilize the vast array of open resources offered as a means of leaning more about the wide variety of functionalities and intricacies of the tool.  The Pressbooks interface is built with user-friendly navigation in mind. 

Monthly Training Webinars from Pressbooks:

Pressbooks offers monthly training sessions.  You may register for an introductory and/or advanced session at: https://pressbooks.com/webinars/

Pressbooks User Guide:

The Pressbooks User Guide has been curated over time and provides clear instructions for use from creating a book through to the publication phase.
Click on the cover the access or view at: https://guide.pressbooks.com/

The Pressbooks community is lively and there is an abundance of resources for those wishing to fully engage.  

The following are great starting points:

• Pressbooks Directory
  Spend some time familiarizing yourself with all of the excellent resources users have created in Pressbooks.  You can search featured collections or seach based on your own criteria. 
   
• Pressbooks Knowledge Base

  The Pressbooks Knowledge Base Provides a FAQ section on book creation and more.
   

• Pressbooks YouTube Channel

  The Pressbooks YouTube Channel provides comprehensive guidance on using the Pressbooks.  The channel is a great resource for product updates, deep dives into functionalities, and much more.