Most-Viewed Pressbooks Publications of 2023

It’s been an exciting year for Pressbooks users. In 2023 alone, we’ve had nearly 9,000 creators from across 500+ institutions produce content that has reached 64 million visitors.


What are those 64 million visitors looking at? Great question!

The short answer is: free, open access textbooks for a variety of college-level subjects. This year’s most-visited books teach communication skills, health sciences, social sciences, and business. Most are considered high-enrollment and/or gateway courses that attract many students fulfilling general education requirements. Two cover foundational nursing program curriculum.

We invite you to join the viewing party. Here’s a list of Pressbooks’ top ten books that received the most page views in 2023.


Communication in the Real World book cover

Communication In the Real World

From the University of Minnesota

3.5 million page views

1.2 million visitors

59,000 downloads


About:
An introduction to Communication Studies that combines an overview of conceptual foundations with timely research and real-life applications


Anatomy andf Physiology book cover

Anatomy and Physiology

From Oregon State University

2.7 million page views

1.8 million visitors

16,000 downloads

About:
A foundational anatomy textbook organized by body systems with a focus on inclusive and equitable instruction


Stand up, speak out book cover

Stand Up, Speak Out: The Practice and Ethics of Public Speaking

From the University of Minnesota

2.5 million page views

785,000 visitors

47,000 downloads

About:
A text focused on helping students become more seasoned public speakers with an emphasis on ethics


Nursing skills - 2e book cover

Nursing Skills – 2e

From Chippewa Valley Technical College

1.9 million page views

1.1 million visitors

10,000 downloads

About:
A foundational text used in practical nursing programs as well as first-year courses preparing students to become registered nurses


Sociology book cover

Sociology: Understanding and Changing the Social World

From the University of Minnesota

1.6 million page views

920,000 visitors

13,000 downloads

About:
Adapts contents of the best mainstream texts to provide both a sociological understanding of society and insight into how to enact societal change


College success book cover

College Success

From the University of Minnesota

1.5 million page views

390,000 visitors

31,000 downloads

About:
With the goal of helping students succeed in college, this text covers subjects like motivation, preparing for tests, and taking control of your health and finances


Principles of management book cover

Principles of Management

From the University of Minnesota

1.5 million page views

884,000 visitors

26,000 downloads

About:
Teaching tomorrow’s leaders the basics of management through a lens of strategy, entrepreneurship, and active leadership


Human resource management book cover

Human Resource Management

From the University of Minnesota

1.5 million page views

719,000 visitors

40,000 downloads

About:
Teaches HR theories and strategies to a variety of management professionals who need to know how to recruit, train, and compensate people


Nursing fundamentals book cover

Nursing Fundamentals

From Chippewa Valley Technical College

1.4 million page views

915,000 visitors

17,000 downloads

About:
Developed for entry level nursing students, this texts is used as a framework for delivering patient care across a variety of nursing concepts


Understanding media and culture book cover

Understanding Media and Culture

From the University of Minnesota

1.4 million page views

605,000 visitors

20,000 downloads

About:
This text helps students understand and engage with the social, political and economic forces affecting the future of media and technology


Read our full report about the amazing things the Pressbooks community has been up to in 2023.

Featured image photo by Tom Hermans on Unsplash