ORCID
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7077-6408
Abstract
Many institutions focus textbook affordability efforts through open educational resources, but that isn’t the only option available to provide students with affordable course materials. This paper outlines how the University of Central Florida Libraries successfully leveraged its e-book collections to support textbook affordability efforts. A description of the initiative is provided from three perspectives; an associate director, the textbook affordability librarian, and an acquisitions librarian. Included will be the genesis of the program, methodology used, and how data collected from the initiative were used to gain a new position at the university, a Textbook Affordability Librarian. As part of this initiative, various avenues were developed for faculty outreach and collaboration. Instead of a solo effort, there was a strong emphasis on collaboration with internal and external library partners. The final part of the paper is a discussion of considerations for purchasing materials for use as a course text.
The Textbook Affordability Puzzle: Perspectives from Three of the Pieces
Many institutions focus textbook affordability efforts through open educational resources, but that isn’t the only option available to provide students with affordable course materials. This paper outlines how the University of Central Florida Libraries successfully leveraged its e-book collections to support textbook affordability efforts. A description of the initiative is provided from three perspectives; an associate director, the textbook affordability librarian, and an acquisitions librarian. Included will be the genesis of the program, methodology used, and how data collected from the initiative were used to gain a new position at the university, a Textbook Affordability Librarian. As part of this initiative, various avenues were developed for faculty outreach and collaboration. Instead of a solo effort, there was a strong emphasis on collaboration with internal and external library partners. The final part of the paper is a discussion of considerations for purchasing materials for use as a course text.