EMU Credit Union, Faculty, and Alumni support no-cost texts

The EMU Credit Union, the Library Faculty, EMU Faculty members, and alumni are supporting efforts to aid students in obtaining no-cost access to course reading materials. The EMU Credit Union is sponsoring the EMU Library Textbook Affordability Initiative with $2500 to purchase library ebook versions of books assigned in courses, which students can access online with their EMU NetID. Alumni and library faculty have recently donated $1300 to an EMU Foundation fund to support these efforts.

The benefits to students include more than just savings to tight budgets, as many low income students struggle through courses without access to books that they can’t afford. The following comments illustrate faculty experience when using free course reading materials:

“Having a copy of the book available in the library, and in a format that will make it available to multiple students at once, can be a game changer.  It will allow my most vulnerable students access to essential course material, and help ensure that all students are given equal opportunities for success, regardless of economic resources.” – Pam Stewart, Art Dept. Faculty, using a library ebook for multiple sections of a 100 level Art History course.

 

“My students have been most appreciative of this and I am seeing more evidence that they are actually engaging with the reading.” – Amanda Stype, Economics Dept. Faculty using a library ebook for a 400 level course
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“I am very happy with the OER text that we are using for COMM 124.  It has great resources, updates, and the authors communicate with all of us who are using it.” Nick Romerhausen, Communication Dept. Faculty, coordinating use of a free open text found in collaboration with library faculty for a very high enrollment undergraduate course on public speaking.

The EMU Library Textbook Affordability Initiative provides:

• a large number of course ebooks purchased with grant and foundation funds
• a Textbook Alternatives guide instructors can use to find free or low-cost texts
• an online request form for library ebook versions of course books for instructors
• increasingly popular consultations with a subject specialist librarian on finding options for course readings,
• presentations or workshops for instructors on how to find and use open resources and alternatives, which can be tailored to specific disciplines.

Questions on the Initiative can be directed to a subject librarian or to Kate Pittsley-Sousa at [email protected]