University of Maryland College Park
College Park, MD, United States
Official Website
• @UofMaryland
Type: Public 4-Year, Research University
Annual Enrollment: 37,610
OER LibGuide
Overview
A partnership of the University Libraries, the Teaching and Learning Transformation Center, and the Student Government Association drives support for adoption of affordable course materials at the University of Maryland. The three groups advocate for heightened awareness of workable solutions that benefit students and faculty, reporting progress to the Office of the Provost. Student groups are particularly engaged and advance alternatives that can help reduce the burden of the high costs of textbooks.
Building on the efforts of the partnership, the University Libraries joined the Open Textbook Network in 2017 and hosted faculty workshops to increase the use of this resource. In 2014 the University Libraries launched a textbook lending program for high-enrollment courses on campus. The number of textbooks, loans, and unique borrowers has increased each semester since the program’s inception.
Systemwide efforts complement the actions of the flagship campus. The Maryland Open Source Textbook Initiative (MOST) began in 2013 as a collaboration between the University System of Maryland Student Council and the University System of Maryland’s William E. Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation to address issues surrounding textbook affordability. MOST provides an annual mini-grant program that supports faculty from public higher education institutions across the state in replacing traditional textbooks with OER for high-impact courses.
Campus Details
Campus Entities Most Active in Efforts Advancing OER:
- Academic Department
- Academic/Information Technology
- Faculty Champions(s)
- Library
- Student Government
- Teaching and Learning Center
- Other
Library Departments Active in Efforts Advancing OER:
- Administration
- Collections & Technical Services
- Teaching & Learning
Academic Subjects With Greatest OER Traction:
- Other
Mechanisms to Support OER Included in the Following:
- Course/Curriculum Design/Redesign
- Library Services
OER Staff Location:
- Academic/Information Technology
- Library
- Teaching and Learning Center
OER Events
Affordable & Open Pedagogical Resources for Students
A presentation and roundtable discussion with undergraduate students to make them aware of existing open and affordable resources through the UMD libraries and outside sources. Students shared details about their experiences with accessing course materials, and discussed strategies for communicating the importance of OER to faculty and fellow students.
Date: Oct. 24, 2019
Event Type:
- Workshop/Professional Development
Event themes:
- Other
Scope: Affordable course content, including cost-free course content and OER
Approximate Attendees: 15
Links:
Slides
Point of Contact
Open Educational Resources Group
University Libraries