Affordability at Ohio State
At Ohio State, Affordability exists on a spectrum that provides multiple ways for instructors to engage with it in their courses.
Free Content
Free content consists of materials that instructors can link to freely on the web (without modifying).
Open Content
Open content consists of materials that are in the Public Domain or have a license that permits end users to use the materials in ways traditionally prohibited by copyright without permission of the copyright holder. For most open educational resources (text, images, video, etc.) these will be Creative Commons licenses, but in the case of open-source software there are a handful of licenses that designate what an end user can do with the software. At Ohio State, University Libraries partners with the Affordable Learning Exchange (ALX) to help instructors explore affordable alternatives to expensive textbooks/course materials. Their grants for the creation of open textbooks have saved students over $12 million. They can help you make the switch to open resources for your course. Don’t hesitate to reach out at affordablelearning@osu.edu. Within the libraries, Amanda Larson, Affordable Learning Instructional Consultant can also help you explore open educational resources for your course (larson.581@osu.edu).
Library Content
Library content consists of images, videos and texts that are licensed by the library and made available through the library catalog. When selecting library resources for use in the classroom, it's important to pay attention to how many seats they are licensed for or if they have per use costs. To determine if a resource is a good fit for your class, reach out to your subject liaison. For streaming media, contact Aaron Olivera (olivera.3@osu.edu) for assistance.
Paid Content
Paid content for affordability usually means obtaining course materials under a certain threshold of cost. At Ohio State, one branch of ALX's multipronged approach to affordability is CarmenBooks, an inclusive access program. CarmenBooks is an option to have textbook-publisher curricular resources to be delivered directly into CarmenCanvas through a partnership with Unizin who negotiates significant savings for students (up to 80% off retail price). If you are interested in pursuing this option, send an email to carmenbooks@osu.edu to start planning for next semester. Be sure to include your course name and current textbook information (title, edition, publisher, etc.) A member of the Affordable Learning Exchange (ALX) team will work with you to see if CarmenBooks is the right fit for your course.
Additional Resources
Locating Affordable Resources
Are you interested in finding affordable resources for your course? Not sure where to start? Locating Affordable Resources will walk you through where to find materials for your course – including library materials, open educational resources, and freely available content on the web / in the public domain – and where to get help doing so.
Evaluating Affordable Resources
You have located affordable resources for your course? Now what? Evaluating Affordable Resources will provide you tips and tools to evaluate those resources for alignment with your learning outcomes, check for quality, understand how they are licensed, and whether they meet accessibility standards.
Teaching with Affordable Resources
Teaching with Affordable Resources will provide resources to help you start thinking about how your newly selected affordable educational resources can transform your teaching practice and provide resources for new ways to engage your students in class.
Textbooks in the Library Collection
Textbooks in the Library Collection offers ways to find help for using library resources in your course. It also explains why University Libraries can't always purchase textbooks and course materials for the collection.
Need Help?
Feel free to book a consultation with Amanda Larson, Affordable Learning Instructional Consultant at your convenience!