9 Western Kentucky University

Western Kentucky University began its commitment to Open Educational Resources in 2020 with the creation of the Affordable Textbook Program. This program provided grants for faculty who adapted OER to replace traditional classroom materials. In 2022 WKU Libraries hired an OER Librarian to expand the grant program and provide workshops and consultations for those interested in OER and affordable course materials. Since then the program has changed and grown to include four different tiers of possible participation. Faculty can now choose between, adoption, adaption, creation, and a multi-section conversion, which allows up to five faculty to work together to lower textbook costs for high enrollment courses. Last year’s awardees include three faculty who have started to develop workbooks to be included in the SAALCK Pressbooks catalog. To increase awareness and the number of incentives available for faculty, WKU libraries have occasionally partnered with campus groups like the Center For Innovative Teaching and Learning and The Kelly M. Burch Institute for Transformative Practices in Higher Education. To date 22 awards have saved our students over half a million dollars.

Pressbooks in progress: 4

Pressbooks complete: 1

Common questions:

Marketing strategy:

• Advertising during an OER professional development
• Libguide
• Annual liaison outreach emails to faculty
• Annual Alternative Textbook Grant faculty all email and follow up

Graphic Design:

• We have an in house person who does some design.  They would be willing to work on something for us.

Administrative buy in:

• New Dean in the Fall so I will get back to this point then.

Tutorials:

Professional development:

• Will ask our Center for Teaching and  Learning if we can do a workshop.