BLOG: Current Happenings in OER - LibGuides at DePauw University Libraries

The Affordable College Textbook Act would:

Authorize a U.S. federal grant program, similar to the Open Textbook Pilot, to support projects at colleges and universities to create and expand the use of open textbooks with priority for projects that will achieve the highest savings for students.
Improve and update existing requirements for publishers and institutions that provide information on textbook costs for required materials to students on course schedules, including a requirement to inform students about the terms under which publishers collect and use their data.
Codify strong definitions of OER and open licensing to ensure that materials created with federal funds under the bill have the maximum benefit for students and the public.

If you’re represented by members of the U.S. Congress, you can show your support for the Affordable College Textbook Act by asking your Senators and Representative to become co-sponsors. Visit the SPARC policy page for more information.

Recent Posts

New OER from the University of Wisconsin-Superior

The Center for Learning, Innovation, and Collaboration at the University of Wisconsin-Superior is excited to announce the publication of three new, open textbooks: Macro Practice for Community and Organizational Change by Lynn Goerdt Lynn Goerdt's Open Educational Resource provides knowledge and skills for professionals actively engaged in change making as a necessary way to fulfil their mission. This includes, but is not limited to, social workers, educators, policy makers, health professionals, and environmental scientists. This textbook is the result of Goerdt's extensive experience both working and teaching in the field of macro community and organizational change. People and Music: An Appreciation and History by J. Richard Freese People and Music: An Appreciation and History serves as an introduction to the history of Western music from the Middle Ages through today: trends, innovations, people, and worthwhile music examples. It also includes samples of music from around the world and popular music and discusses how they have impacted Western music. While it would be beyond the scope of this text to include every outstanding composer and music example throughout history, the author hopes students are inspired to further explore eras, styles, and musicians they find particularly interesting. Nurturing Potential: An Equity-Minded Approach to Functional Behavioral Assessment by Amanda Zbacnik & Staci Gilpin In a society that is increasingly, beautifully diverse, educators need to ensure that data being collected about student(s) keeps the students’ perspectives and needs at the forefront of behavioral interventions. Zbacnik and Gilpin’s Open Educational Resource strategically guides readers through each step in the functional behavioral assessment and interventions process and continues to center and consider how student identity impacts educational journey. All three books are also available as PDFs and ePub files. Happy reading! ...

New OER on Higher Education Evolution

I’d like to bring to your attention a new OER from the University of Virginia:Higher Education Evolution: Unraveling the Past, Confronting Today's Challenges, and Empowering Student Independence, by Rachel MostFrom the author: “This book is a compilation of my personal journey in higher education and of what I have seen and learned from 30 years working in that field. To say there has been a sea change in how students perceive and navigate college and in the level of parental involvement since I began working with college students in the early 1990s is an understatement. The changes have been epic. There are four parts to this book. The first part (Chapter 1) is my story where I share my experiences growing up, getting to college, and then getting to graduate school. Chapters 2, 3, and 4 (the second part) include the history of higher education, what it has become and what I think it should be, and the value of the liberal arts. In Chapters 5, 6, and 7 (part three), I share some of the situations I dealt with as a dean and advisor, offer reflections on the pandemic and higher education, and then offer some advice for students. These sections come together at different points and in different ways for the fourth and concluding part of the book—the epilogue.”...

OER Book of the Month for March 2025: Women Writers from Marshall University

In recognition of International Women's Month, the Pressbooks March Book of the Month is Women Writers, an open-access literary anthology featuring works by women writers across history. It provides historical context, critical analysis, and diverse perspectives on literature, aiming to highlight women's contributions to the literary canon and support college-level study of feminist and gender-related themes in literature.From the preface: This project started small, but continued to grow as I thought about all the talented and inspiring women writers that should be included. With nine units, containing ninety-nine chapters, the book may at first appear overwhelming. However, I have organized it in a way that makes it easy to pick and choose the content that is right for your individual needs. The nine units are organized by genre: feminist theory, nonfiction, memoir, poetry, music, plays, film, short stories, and novels. Within the nine units, I have organized the featured authors chronologically by date of birth. Each unit starts with an introduction that gives an overview of the content within the unit and it ends with a creative, culminating writing project that can be adapted for students at all levels. Each featured author chapter includes shortcut anchors for easy navigation, background on the author and selected texts, visuals, discussion questions, interactive activities, and sources for further study....

Affordable College Textbook Act reintroduced in U.S. Congress

Just in time for international Open Education Week (March 2-7, 2025), the Affordable College Textbook Act has been reintroduced in the U.S. Congress. The bill aims to reduce the cost of textbooks by expanding the use and awareness of open educational resources at college and university campuses. The Senate bill is sponsored by Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Angus King (I-ME), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Representative Joe Neguse (D-CO) will introduce companion legislation in the House. SPARC strongly supports this bill, and you can read more in SPARC’s news post and Senator Durbin’s press release.The Affordable College Textbook Act would:Authorize a U.S. federal grant program, similar to the Open Textbook Pilot, to support projects at colleges and universities to create and expand the use of open textbooks with priority for projects that will achieve the highest savings for students.Improve and update existing requirements for publishers and institutions that provide information on textbook costs for required materials to students on course schedules, including a requirement to inform students about the terms under which publishers collect and use their data.Codify strong definitions of OER and open licensing to ensure that materials created with federal funds under the bill have the maximum benefit for students and the public.If you’re represented by members of the U.S. Congress, you can show your support for the Affordable College Textbook Act by asking your Senators and Representative to become co-sponsors. Visit the SPARC policy page for more information....

Affordable College Textbook Act reintroduced in U.S. Congress

The Affordable College Textbook Act would:

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Affordable College Textbook Act reintroduced in U.S. Congress

The Affordable College Textbook Act would:

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