Faculty Guide: Open Educational Resources & Affordable Textbook Alternatives

Affordable Learning Georgia

Affordable Learning Georgia (ALG) is a USG initiative that supports the implementation of affordable alternatives to expensive commercial textbooks, particularly Open Educational Resources (OER) and open textbooks, which are both free and customizable.

ALG offers numerous services to accomplish its goal of affordable learning. The ALG website contains resources and information related to affordable learning, OER, and advocacy. ALG's Textbook Transformation Grants provide monetary support to encourage the adoption and/or creation of open textbooks or the use of library/licensed educational resources (LER).

GGC Contacts

GGC supports the University System of Georgia's (USG) Affordable Learning Georgia program. This program provides two on-campus "champions" for faculty interested in affordable learning, and their email addresses are listed below. 

Library Champion: Catherine Downey, Interim Dean of Library Services

Design Champion: Tracy Adkins, Executive Director of Academic Technology and Campus Engagement

Campus Contact: Office of Research and Sponsored Programs & Marie Firestone, Associate Director

• GGC's Affordable Materials Grant Data, Spring 2023

  Cumulative cost savings and benefits realized by GGC students due to GGC faculty participation in Affordable Materials Grants

Library/Licensed Educational Resources

Library/Licensed Educational Resources (LER) can support affordability efforts on campus when used to replace an expensive traditional textbook. These resources are not considered OER because they are not openly licensed, such as with a Creative Commons license. However, they are available to students without additional costs.

Finding LER at Kaufman Library

Kaufman Library has a diverse and extensive array of library resources. If you have questions about which library resources can be used as LER, your library liaison can help you find the resources you need.

Where to Start:

• Databases A-Z

  This include provides easy access to Kaufman Library's databases.

• Electronic Journals

  This list provides access to Kaufman Library's online subscription journals.

• Kaufman Library Catalog (GIL-Find)

  Find books and other materials at Kaufman Library.

Open Educational Resources

UNESCO defines Open Educational Resources (OER) as "any type of educational materials that are in the public domain or introduced with an open license. The nature of these open materials means that anyone can legally and freely copy, use, adapt and re-share them. OERs range from textbooks to curricula, syllabi, lecture notes, assignments, tests, projects, audio, video and animation." 

As the definition above illustrates, OER are not limited to only open textbooks; however, textbook affordability is a central issue for many OER initiatives. The Kaufman Library purchases and subscribes to a wide variety of resources that can be used to replace a traditional textbook. These Library/Licensed Educational Resources (LER) are not considered OER because they are only available to GGC students and faculty and they often are restricted in how you can reuse them; however, they can still be a valuable asset when considering alternatives to traditional textbooks.

Finding OERs

Course Reserves

GGC faculty may put materials on course reserve for student use. If you wish to place materials on course reserve, please submit the electronic Course Reserve Request Form and drop off any physical items at the library circulation desk.

Notes:  

• Please allow 7 business days for library staff to process new reserve items. You will receive an email when your items are ready for student use.
• Complete bibliographic citations must accompany all excerpts submitted for course reserve, with the exception of instructor-created materials.
• Items obtained via Interlibrary Loan or GIL Express cannot be placed on course reserve.
• Any textbook copy that has been received by you from a publisher for evaluation purposes, at no cost to you, either labeled “Instructor’s Copy” or contains other language restricting its use to review purposes only can no longer be accepted. This language may be found on the back cover of materials or as a ribbon across the front cover.
• Any textbook copy labeled “Not for Resale,” received at no cost to you as well as any current textbook, may only be placed on Course Reserve for up to three weeks at the beginning of the semester, providing time for students to purchase their own individual copies.  Please pick up the textbook(s) you placed on Course Reserve after the three week period.
• Please note that Kaufman Library is unable to purchase textbooks.
• Remember to review and retain a Fair Use Checklist for your records. The library reserves the right to refuse any course reserve request that infringes on Fair Use.

Links and Relevant Resources:  

• Fair Use Checklist
  Please retain for your records.
• Fair Use Evaluator
  Evaluation tool that provides information and guidance on the Fair Use doctrine applied to copyrighted materials.
• ALA and Fair Use

  Information from the American Library Association.

Creative Commons

The nonprofit Creative Commons provides a way to easily share and reuse content through its free copyright licenses. The use of a Creative Commons license does not remove copyright from an item (image, article, video, etc.), but it does allow the copyright holder to identify how the item can be used. Creative Commons licenses are described in more detail in the section below.

Creative Commons and OER

OER are often published under a Creative Commons license, so a basic understanding of these licenses helps you determine how an OER can be used. The links below

Learn about sharing your work via Creative Commons

Learn about reusing Creative Commons licensed works