At The Ohio State University—where affordability is a keystone of the president’s agenda and strategic plan—University Libraries is helping students save millions of dollars each year in textbook and course material fees. As part of the Affordable Learning Exchange (ALX), a university-wide partnership aimed at bridging the affordability gap by reducing or eliminating textbook and classroom material costs, University Libraries is transforming the way students access learning materials. Our subject librarians and copyright experts contribute to ALX, which has saved students over $20 million to date.
University Libraries partners with instructors spanning Ohio State’s many disciplines to rethink how they can use open educational resources that save students money—even if they’ve never set foot in a campus library. By tapping into an innovative mix of resources including materials on reserve at the libraries, electronic journals, free or deeply discounted e-books and more, University Libraries is helping to create a new model for how universities can leverage their resources and purchasing power to connect students to a more affordable education. Students and faculty alike are even finding that these “remixed” courses create a more engaging learning experience.
No other university has taken on textbook costs the way Ohio State has, and other institutions throughout the nation are taking notice of this trailblazing work. University Libraries and our partners in the Affordable Learning Exchange have already accomplished so much, but with additional investment, there is no limit to the innovative ways we can save students money while creating more engaging learning experiences. For donors who care about making college more affordable for all students, University Libraries’ affordability initiative is a forward-thinking, powerful investment.