Skip to Main Content

OER and Affordable Learning Solutions (AL$)

Information on free and low-cost textbook and courseware options: what they are, how to find them, and programs to support their adoption.

Your AL$/OER Librarian

Profile Photo
Katherine "Kitty" Luce
She/her

What are affordable course materials?

Affordable course materials can include:

  • Open educational resources, or other free or low-cost textbooks
  • Open courseware, or other free or low-cost learning resources and ancillary materials (test banks, homework, and so on)
  • Books or articles licensed for use through the library
  • Public domain materials
  • Instructor-created materials

What are Open Educational Resources?

Open educational resources (OER) are learning materials such as textbooks, online homework, test banks, interactive modules and even entire courses that are freely available to be used, remixed, improved, and redistributed. They are often available under a Creative Commons license. The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, which has been supporting OER since 2002, defines them as "high-quality teaching, learning, and research materials that are free for people everywhere to use and repurpose."

About the CSU AL$ initiative

AL$/OER Reports & Research

California State University Maritime Academy

Cal Maritime Library
200 Maritime Academy Drive
Vallejo, CA 94590 
707-654-1090

If you experience accessibility barriers using this website, please contact 707-654-1090 or library@csum.edu . You will receive a reply within two business days. The library is committed to remediate accessibility barriers within this website and will provide accommodations until the barriers are remediated.