Open Educational Resources

The cost of college textbooks has risen at 300% the rate of inflation since 1978, with a 90% cost increase over the last decade alone. Students increasingly report not purchasing textbooks due to high costs, a trend which is widely recognized to negatively impact student learning outcomes. To address these concerns and build on the FSU Open Access initiative, FSU Libraries are offering Alternative Textbook grants to support faculty and instructors in their efforts to replace commercial textbooks with open alternatives that are available at no cost to students. 

#TEXTBOOKBROKE FSU

#Textbookbroke is a national campaign aimed at informing students about Open Textbooks, Open Educational Resources, and alternatives to traditional textbooks. It is also aimed at empowering students to provide feedback on their course materials and encourage their instructors to explore more affordable alternatives.

The data accumulated from the 2017 engagement events across campus suggests that $407.32 is the average maximum amount spent by students on textbooks in a single term across all disciplines. Some of the more striking findings from the survey include the following:

• 93% of students would use an online textbook if it was free
• 97% of students feel that a $30 print textbook would reduce financial strain
• 72% of students have decided not to purchase a required textbook due to high cost
• 11% of students have decided not to take a course due to the cost of the textbook

These findings suggest that the vast majority of our students would support broader adoption of OER and Open Textbooks at FSU.