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Category: Open Education News

Open Access Week 2023: Community over Commercialization

Posted October 17, 2023

Not all approaches to scholarly communication prioritize the best interests of the public and the academic community. Open Access Week provides an opportunity to discuss open scholarship—and whose interests are served by it. This year’s Open Access Week theme, “Community […]

Try Open Textbooks (And Apply by Oct. 6 for $200 Stipend)

Posted September 28, 2023

Instructors: it’s textbook adoption time! The deadline to nail down your Spring 2024 textbook choices with the bookstore is October 15. Want to try open textbooks? They offer a more affordable alternative for students without compromising on quality. How to get […]

Faculty: Adopt an Open Textbook

Posted April 5, 2023

It’s textbook adoption time! The deadline to nail down your spring textbook choices with the bookstore is almost here. Next semester, try open textbooks. They offer a more affordable alternative for students without compromising on quality. Get started here:  Reminders: Need […]

Feature Friday – It Pays to Switch to “Open”

Posted February 3, 2023

This summer, JMU adjunct professor Jeannie Harding took advantage of a $2,000 pilot grant from JMU to swap out expensive course materials for open educational resources (OER) to reduce textbook costs for her students, thanks to special funding from JMU. […]

Breeze TV Spreads the Word About Textbook Costs

Posted January 31, 2023

A segment on textbook affordability was included in the most recent episode of Breeze TV.  The piece featured an interview with Liz Thompson, our Open Education Librarian. Liz is leading the Libraries’ efforts in course material affordability, working to lower […]

The Library’s Role with Open Educational Resources: A Conversation with JMU Librarians

Posted January 26, 2023

Liz Thompson and Yasmeen Shorish were recently invited to respond to the open educational resources (OER) results shared in a national faculty survey. Visit this story from Ithaka S+R to learn about their experiences supporting faculty, perceptions and uses of […]

Grants of $4,000-$50,000 for Switching to Open Course Materials

Posted January 25, 2023

Are you concerned about the high cost of textbooks for your students? Open or no-cost materials offer an alternative to traditional textbooks and allow instructors to customize, save, and share course materials for free. Apply by March 6, 2023 for […]

New Guidance to Make Federally Funded Research Publicly Available Without Delay

Posted January 24, 2023

If your research is supported through government grants, new guidance to federal agencies may impact you. JMU Libraries is here to help you prepare for this guidance, which will make federally-funded research immediately available to the public, at no cost. […]