JMU Textbook Initiative Leads to Student Savings and College Affordability

Posted March 3, 2025 in Giving to JMU Libraries News, JMU Libraries News, Open Education News

In 2023, JMU formed a task force to address rising textbook costs by promoting the use of Open Educational Resources (OER), which are free, accessible materials that faculty can customize for their courses. 

The team of representatives from across the university—JMU Libraries, Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Office of the Vice President, Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DDEI), and Faculty Senate—worked together with a shared goal: to expand the use of Open Educational Resources (OER) to create a more affordable and equitable educational experience at JMU.  

The cross-campus team was accepted into the 2023-2024 AAC&U Institute on Open Educational Resources, which supports several universities each year in their efforts to expand awareness and adoption of OER at their institutions.   

Since hiring its first Open Education Librarian in 2018, JMU has made significant strides in promoting OER. Faculty workshops, grant programs, and support initiatives have led to a steady increase in OER adoption, saving students over $830,000 in 2023-24 alone. 

Building on this momentum, the team engaged with faculty, campus stakeholders, and state-level initiatives to discuss strategies for addressing textbook affordability at JMU.  

Recommendations for JMU

After a year of conversations, the team presented a list of strategic recommendations in their final report: 

• Continue developing cross-divisional partnerships, inclusive of students, faculty, and staff, to encourage awareness and use of open educational resources (OER)

• Explore opportunities to encourage donor support for OER and course material affordability through an Advancement fund  

• Promote recognition of the value of investment in OER through the creation of faculty OER awards. 

• Improve workflows and infrastructure to communicate courses with low- and no-cost materials via the JMU Bookstore and MyMadison student enrollment system 

How You Can Help

The report also included actionable steps you can take to support the use of open and affordable textbooks at JMU: 

1. Ensure compliance with federal requirements that faculty report all course material adoptions, even no-cost textbooks, to the JMU Bookstore.  
2. Ensure compliance with state requirements that department staff consistently mark courses with required materials under $40 in Course Scheduler so they show up when students use the no/low-cost filter in MyMadison during enrollment. 
3. Advocate for reviewing departmental policies that mandate uniform textbooks across sections of a course.
4. Promote faculty-led OER initiatives and resources that help faculty to find and create open course materials. 
5. Complete this faculty survey by April 18 to help the task force collect data on how many faculty are using open textbooks and other OER at JMU. 

These recommendations reflect the team’s commitment to addressing both the barriers and opportunities surrounding OER adoption. The team has successfully raised awareness of the benefits of OER, not only in reducing costs but also in improving the quality and accessibility of education for all students at JMU. Their work continues to pave the way for a future where OER is a fundamental part of the university’s commitment to student success and equity. 

Learn More

If you have questions or would like to share your ideas for open and affordable textbook initiatives at JMU, please contact our Open Education Librarian, Liz Thompson. 

To learn more, please visit our website: Open Education at JMU.