Item Detail
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George Fox University
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Located in Newberg, OR
Suburban
“Christ-centered” religious institution (Quaker) -
2284
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1731
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Governing/managing body: Library
Seed funding received from the President's Office via an Innovation Initiative grant -
Faculty presentations
Workshops
Pressbooks implementation
Leveraging library resources -
Funding has been key to the success of Textbook Affordability programming. After submitting an application for the President’s Innovation Initiative grant, seed funding was awarded for an Open Textbook Initiative. The following year funding was renewed and the program was broadened to include library eBooks, and became the Library Textbook Affordability Program. It was then made “a permanent line item in the library budget.” The Provost was very supportive throughout and encouraged faculty to participate.
At the beginning they held “four to six a semester of these little mini workshops” which helped raise awareness of how textbook costs impact students and the potential and availability of open textbooks. The number of mini workshops was reduced due to staff time and other responsibilities. In addition, “I would present [at an orientation for new faculty] on open textbooks [and textbook affordability], and kind of do a very mini presentation of the workshop.” This led to “way more interest than we expected, especially in authoring open textbooks.” Eventually, as funding became less available, some faculty continue to adopt open textbooks and library ebooks without financial incentives. In addition, one faculty member is in the process of authoring an open textbook without financial compensation.
The goal of the Library Textbook Affordability Program is to reduce the cost of textbooks for students. A dual strategy is used of open textbooks and library ebooks.There aren’t as many open textbooks available for graduate programs so we rely more heavily on library ebooks in those cases. I go through lists of textbooks that are required readings for students and whenever available I will purchase the unlimited-user ebook for required course reading.
Though these resources are available there is a constant effort to be clear that the faculty have the best determination of course content. “During library research and instruction classes I demonstrate how to use the different types of library ebooks available from the library.”
Turnover has been a large issue. There was a reduction in majors and many faculty retirements and terminations that negatively impacted the textbook affordability program because “we lost a lot of our OER [faculty] champions in that. A lot of them.” During this time our very supportive library dean also had his position terminated.
One huge benefit is that “our provost was all over this, and very, very supportive.” This administrative support has brought important strength and credibility to the textbook affordability effort. In fact, “she posted [to the faculty discussion list], and that made all the difference” in faculty attending the workshops. In addition, the president is very supportive which was very important at the beginning to help the effort find success. While there is no official inclusion of this in promotion and tenure documents, the provost did tell the faculty that “you can put this on your faculty growth plan. If you participate in reviewing and adopting or even just reviewing, because it's a public review, and they liked that and so counted [it] as a book review.” These administrative relationships have been a strong key to success.