LibGuides: Open Educational Resources (OER): Alternative Textbook Project

About Alternative Textbook Projects

To promote the use of OER on college campuses, more college and university libraries are starting "Alternative Textbook Projects". These projects encourage faculty to replace their commercial textbooks with alternate resources such as OER and licensed library content (which is openly available to all members of that institution). This section of the LibGuide will link you to several of these programs.

Alternate Textbooks Projects (by institution)

Additional Sources for Library OER Programs
This list include a table with links to programs at different institutions.
Affordable Learning Louisiana
LOUIS supports affordability initiatives including curriculum driven acquisitions (CDA), analysis of bookstore lists, and adoption of open education resources through technology innovations, administrative support and professional development for librarians.
Affordable Textbook Project (Institution: Temple University)
The Alt-Texbook Project has saved Temple students over $300,000 since the Project started in 2011.
Alt-Textbook Project (Institution: North Carolina State University)
In the Fall 2014 term, the NCSU Libraries awarded a first round of grants to faculty to adopt, adapt, or create free or low-cost alternatives to expensive textbooks. The first round is in progress and is expected to save NC State students more than $200,000 in the first year.
Open Education Initiative (Institution: Emory University)
Moving into the second cohort, the Emory Open Education Initiative (EOEI) encourages faculty and instructors to create and use open educational resources (OERs) and library materials to support student learning in their courses by offering mini-grants of $1,000 each.

Learn About Two Alt-Textbook Projects

Alternative Textbook Project
Listen to a narrated presentation that Steven Bell and Marilyn Billings gave about their Alternate Textbook Projects at the 2013 Association of College and Research Libraries Conference.