| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 58.58 |
| Liaison | Margaret Lo |
| Submission Date | July 14, 2022 |
Ball State University
IN-41: Textbook Affordability
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.25 / 0.50 |
Michael
Szajewski Assistant Dean for Digital Scholarship and Special Collections University Libraries |
Does the institution host a peer-to-peer textbook exchange program, textbook lending library, or alternate textbook project?:
A brief description of the textbook exchange program, textbook lending library, or alternate textbook project:
While the University does not offer a textbook exchange program, textbook lending library, or alternative textbook project at present, a University Textbook Access Exploratory Group was launched in 2021 to explore potential initiatives in this area. The group includes representatives from University Libraries, the Division of Online and Strategic Learning, the Office of the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, University College, and the University Bookstore.
The goals of the group are to explore college textbook access, publishing, and business models and programs that 1) reduce or eliminate the cost of course materials for students; 2) promote first-day student access to course materials; 3) adequately support faculty instructional and pedagogical goals; 4) improve educational outcomes for students. The group aims to achieve these goals through development inter-unit campus network to coordinate best practices and approaches and effectively communication with administrative stakeholders regarding services, practices, programs, partnerships, and initiatives.
University Libraries has been working with faculty on campus to increase the use of Leganto, a delivery platform that integrates with Canvas to vastly streamline access to propriety electronic library resources and Open Access content in a highly user-friendly fashion. In Fall of 2021, 467 Ball State University course sections provided access to 2,382 scholarly resources to students via Leganto.
In addition, the University Libraries’ physical course reserves program provides students with free temporary physical access to selected and identified course texts placed on reserve. In Fall 2021, 216 titles were placed on course reserve. Ball State University students used these resources 653 time, leading to roughly $60,500 in student savings (based on lowest market price for print items).
Does the institution provide incentives for academic staff that explicitly encourage the authorship, peer review, and/or adoption of open access textbooks?:
A brief description of the incentives to encourage the authorship, peer review, and/or adoption of open access textbooks:
Ball State University provides a suite of consultative services aimed to support University faculty in adopting, revising, or authoring open access textbooks. Ball State University Libraries employees an Open Content and Digital Publishing Librarian who works with subject liaisons with University Libraries provides consultation and collaborative services to University faculty who wish to identify and assess relevant open access textbooks, revise or remix existing open educational resources, and publish original open access texts. In addition, this librarian regularly offers open workshops to increase campus awareness of open educational resources.
The University’s Division of Online and Strategic Learning also provides collaborative services for Ball State University faculty members to advance the incorporation of open educational resources into course design and development. The Division of Online and Strategic Learning regularly integrates OER practices into course redesign workflows and processes and assists with integration of OER into the Canvas learning management system.
In addition, the Office of the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs provides consultative services to advance the integration of OER into University Core curriculum course offerings.
These three units have collaborated to raise on-campus awareness of the value of open educational resources through presentations to academic leadership and targeted outreach to academic departments and individual faculty members.
As a result of these efforts, over $190,000 in textbook cost savings have been realized for Ball State University students, including over $35,000 during the Spring 2021 and Fall 2021 semesters.
Website URL where information about the textbook affordability incentives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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