For the Loyola University Chicago’s Libraries celebration of Open Access Week 2018, we wanted to focus on an issue of equity that is of utmost importance to students: the cost of textbooks. To that end, we invite students to visit the Information Commons and Lewis Library this week to share the most they have spent on a textbook. We will also host two events: on Tuesday two screenings of Paywall: The Business of Scholarship, and a workshop for instructors on finding affordable textbooks.
Open Education Resources are quickly emerging as a high quality and affordable alternative to traditional textbooks. Try searching these online portals to find examples of open textbooks.
- Authoring Open TextbooksCheck out this guide for more information about how to create your own course text.
Events
Textbook Affordability: Resources for Instructors
The average Illinois student spent $1,324 on textbooks in the 2017-18 school year. The high cost of textbooks is a concern that cuts across all parts of the university, as students, advisors, faculty, librarians, and administrators look for ways to ensure that all students have access to the course materials they need.
This workshop will introduce teaching faculty to some of the available options for reducing the cost of required textbooks. Participants will learn about key issues in the textbook affordability debate, along with different methods for identifying, evaluating, and implementing low-cost or free textbooks. The workshop will also be presented via Zoom, and the link will be provided 1 day before the event to registered attendees.
- Date:
- Wednesday, October 24, 2018
- Time:
- 12:30pm - 1:15pm
- Location:
- Information Commons 120
- Campus:
- Lake Shore
Screening of Paywall Documentary
The library will show two screenings of the Paywall documentary, one at 1:00 PM, and one at 2:30 PM. The entire documentary is freely available online (see below).
- Date:
- Tuesday, October 23, 2018
- Time:
- 1:00pm - 4:00pm
- Location:
- Information Commons 120
- Campus:
- Lake Shore