Part of the larger OER movement, textbooks that are "open" have copyright licenses that allow anyone to freely access, download, and share their content. Many open textbooks also allow for remixing and customization. Often, they are developed through traditional peer review, while others are vetted by experts. Finally, an open textbook can be made available in a print format, often at a nominal cost.
Textbooks prices continue to increase, and students are understandably hesitant to buy them. Every semester, we see more students in the library seeking to borrow their textbooks (which we usually don't have, but if we do, it will often be the case that someone else has already borrowed it). When an instructor decides to use an open textbook and other freely available resources, it can alleviate student anxiety and reduce barriers to higher education.
You can start by checking out BCcampus Open Textbooks, eCampus Ontario Open Library, and the Open Textbook Library. Browse subject areas to find free, openly-licensed textbooks that have been reviewed by faculty from a variety of colleges and universities.
Many college and university libraries are encouraging faculty to replace their commercial textbooks with free alternates such as OER and licensed library content available to all members of the institution. Below is a short list of institutions' various responses to increasing textbook prices.
