CARLI Joins Open Textbook Network

CARLI has joined the Open Textbook Network (OTN), a consortium of colleges and universities working to advance open textbook initiatives. OTN supports the Open Textbook Library, a searchable online catalog of complete textbooks available for faculty and students to freely use, adapt and distribute to best meet the needs of their courses. Open textbooks can be downloaded at no cost or printed inexpensively. CARLI is thrilled to be a part of this community of schools, universities, and institutions making a difference in higher education by addressing the growing concerns about educational affordability.

Seventeen CARLI Governing member institutions plus two Illinois consortia supported CARLI’s membership in the OTN. Through this collaboratively funded system membership, all 128 CARLI Governing member libraries will realize the benefits of OTN membership. A special thanks to these contributors: Aurora University, Catholic Theological Union, Chicago State University, CODSULI (Council of Directors of State University Libraries in Illinois), College of Lake County, DePaul University, Illinois State University, Illinois Wesleyan University, The John Marshall Law School, Knox College, LIBRAS, Lincoln Land Community College, National Louis University, Northern Illinois University, Northwestern University, Oakton Community College, Richland Community College, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Waubonsee Community College.

CARLI system leaders selected by the library directors at contributing institutions will attend the OTN Summer Institute in Minneapolis. These leaders are: Anne Chernaik, College of Lake County; Chris Diaz, Northwestern University; Kathy Ladell, Northern Illinois University; Anne Shelley, Illinois State University; and Janet Swatscheno, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. CARLI staff member Elizabeth Clarage, will also attend.

Following this initial institute, CARLI’s system leaders, in conjunction with OTN staff, will coordinate full-day “train the trainer” workshops to be offered to CARLI member libraries in 2018. These workshops will focus on developing leaders at Illinois colleges and universities to assist in cultivating strategies for advancing the use of open educational resources, specifically openly licensed textbooks, to lessen the cost of these materials for students on their campuses.The workshops will also help attendees gain expertise in helping faculty understand the negative impact high textbook costs can have on students’ academic performance.

For more information about CARLI’s OTN membership, contact Elizabeth Clarage or CARLI Support.