Additional University Perspectives and Experience
17 Support for Faculty Produced eTexts at the University of Minnesota Libraries: Lessons Learned
Kristi Jensen, Program Development Lead, eLearning Support Initiative, University of Minnesota Libraries
Introduction to Course Content Support from the University of Minnesota Libraries
The University of Minnesota Libraries created the eLearning Support Initiative in the fall of 2012 in response to Executive Vice President and Provost Karen Hanson’s Innovation in Teaching and Learning Initiative. While our early efforts included collaboration with a variety of campus service providers (e.g., Academic Technology Support Services and the Center for Educational Innovation) on Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and grant-funded teaching innovation projects, the eLearning Support Initiative’s focus was always on course content. As the program developed, the need to support affordable course content options on campus became apparent. We developed a multi-pronged approach in order to meet the needs and preferences of our diverse faculty, including the provision of:
- Customized digital course packs that can include copyrighted materials requiring student payment, library-licensed material, public domain and open web content, and Fair Use items
- Multi-user, library-licensed ebooks made available each semester based on a comparison of our ebook collection (and potential purchases) with the University of Minnesota Bookstores required textbooks list
- Multiple platforms for publishing openly licensed or open access faculty created textbooks
- Affordable commercial textbook options from publishers via the Unizin Engage platform
- Small grants and robust, customized teams to support faculty willing to replace an existing textbook with a more affordable option
In order to meet the need for affordable content options on campus, the University of Minnesota Libraries has offered Partnership for Affordable Content grants to Twin Cities faculty since the spring 2015 semester. As of the fall 2017 semester, we have supported the implementation of affordable content in 44 classes, which has impacted over 8200 students and produced an estimated savings of over $800,000. The Partnership grants are small incentive grants, averaging ~$1250, that provide faculty with the opportunity to consult about a range of affordable content options they might consider, select the option that best meets their teaching needs and the learning needs of their students, and receive support from a team designed to execute a successful project. The grant money can be used for a variety of things including copyediting, graphic design, student worker salaries (to support the project), technology, and conference travel (to discuss the project with colleagues).
The Partnership grants have mainly led to projects where faculty create new course materials (often eTexts) both for their class and for sharing more widely online. Throughout the course of t