Ohio University’s Textbook Affordability Task Force collaborates with academic departments, faculty, and students to examine the most effective ways to manage and reduce the hefty price tag for course materials. The Task Force includes representatives from the offices of instructional innovation, information technology, the registrar, auxiliaries, as well as the libraries and the faculty and student senates.
In addition to educating faculty and students about what they can do right now to improve affordability of course materials, the task force works to increase compliance with the federal requirement that instructors post accurate details regarding required textbooks for courses well in advance of the semester. Doing so enables students in many cases to buy textbooks at lower prices. The task force also approaches departments and courses with the most expensive textbooks and materials to explore ways to reduce cost. Finally, the task force also supports campus-wide negotiations for course tools and content to reduce the costs to students.
- Advocacy Initiatives: Both the Textbook Affordability Task Force and the University Libraries offer information and education about the impact of high course materials costs. The Office of Instructional Innovation and University Libraries both offer information on their web sites and include affordability advocacy in the work of librarians and instructional designers.
- Adoption Initiatives: Ohio University librarians lead efforts assisting faculty with the identification, review, selection, and adoption of already-licensed or open content in substitution for expensive commercial textbooks through our membership with the Open Textbook Network and our Alternative Textbook Program.
- Alternate Textbook Initiatives: University Libraries runs a successful Alternative Textbook program that has saved Ohio University Students nearly $430,000 in annual savings.
- Other Affordable Learning Initiatives: University Libraries supports Open Access to course materials and scholarship in a wide variety of ways. Read all about our efforts in our news category Alden Supports Open Access.
