Higher Education

There are a variety of institutional considerations to take into account when deciding how to move forward with your open textbook project.

• What is the institutional level of awareness about open textbooks in general? Is there adequate support and understanding for producing open textbooks or may it be helpful to build awareness and adoptions first?
• Are open textbooks emerging as a key priority or strategy at your institution, thereby necessitating dedicated staffing time and other resources?
• Does your institution (or state) offer financial incentives or other support for producing open educational resources?
• Are there innovation, scholarly publishing or professional development funds to support the work?
• Are there potential partners or resources that can help with this process? Perhaps the library, center for teaching and learning, or university press?
• Is there institutional technology available that you can use to author or publish your open textbook?

For librarians interested in launching an open textbook publishing program, see the case studies in the Support Recommendations chapter.

K-12

In the K-12 environment, there are national and state standards as well as district requirements to consider. It’s important to keep these guidelines in mind as you develop open textbooks for your classroom and district. The Office of Educational Technology at the U.S. Department of Education produced a #GoOpen District Launch Packet that contains great resources.

For more, see Self-Publishing Guide, Identify Support [New Tab].