The high cost of textbooks and other course materials can make college less affordable for all students, so the University of Delaware’s Open and Affordable Teaching Materials (OATM) initiative is working to ease that financial burden. 

A program of UD’s Library, Museums and Press since 2017, OATM offers a variety of grants to eligible faculty and instructors to help them create and curate open and affordable educational resources and library collections. The grants also enable faculty to innovate their teaching through the use of these materials. 

The initiative has launched a new round of grant funding, and proposals are being accepted until April 30, 2025. An online information session is scheduled for 2-3 p.m. on Friday, March 7; registration is required.

Jeanna Kambara, UD’s open education resources publishing librarian, said that one-size-fits-all course materials often do not consist of all the information needed to teach the course, while the cost of textbooks and other materials have become a “second tuition” for students. 

These factors are why Monica Frichtel, assistant professor of dance, is developing a second OATM-grant-supported bibliography of open and accessible materials that can be integrated into the Department of Theatre and Dance curriculum. 

“I don’t want our students deciding to not take a dance class because the reading materials are too expensive,” Frichel said. “Also, teaching students about the context of dance movements and genres includes history and what’s happening currently. Creating course materials for our students allows us to fit more useful information into one resource.” 

In a recent survey, 41% of UD undergraduate students said the cost of course materials is stressful for them, said Meg Grotti, associate UD librarian for learning, engagement and curriculum support. 

The survey also found that students whose faculty or instructor offered open and affordable materials in fall 2024 felt financial relief and had a better learning experience.

“The cost of course materials impacts many students, but it is much more profound on those who are financially vulnerable,” Grotti said. “Students have shared that if they were not spending $300 to $1,200 on course materials, then they would use the money on rent and groceries.”

Grotti said that a very low estimate is that the OATM initiative has saved UD students more than $700,000 since 2017. 

“Of the 37 faculty who have been supported by such grants, 92% of them have reported continued use of the materials to this day, so the savings from this effort are far greater than what we have been able to track,” she said. 

In fall 2022, Meg McGuire, associate professor of professional writing, received an OATM grant to collaborate with her students in Introduction to Professional Writing to create Writing at Work, a framework that “introduces the fundamental principles of professional writing.” 

“I always had the idea to have my students involved — I like to professionalize my students, give them real-world experiences,” McGuire said. “The students had the opportunity to learn more about open education resources and now have their name on a publication.”  

The work of UD’s Library, Museums and Press to expand the use of open education resources (OER) extends beyond UD’s campus. Grotti said that they have been diligently fostering partnerships with other higher education institutions in Delaware. 

“By advocating for policies that prioritize affordability and open access, we aim to position Delaware as a leader in OER adoption, ensuring that all students have access to the resources they need to succeed, free from the burden of high materials costs,” Grotti said. “We hope to build momentum for a sustainable ecosystem for OER that empowers faculty, promotes resource discovery and creation, and encourages the integration of open materials into curricula.”

Faculty and instructors who are interested in learning more about the OATM grants can schedule a consultation with Grotti or Kambara.