UNO Students Save Nearly $5 Million in Textbook, Course Material Costs Through Open Nebraska Initiative

The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) has saved students nearly $5 million since 2018 through its efforts to make college textbooks and course materials more affordable as part of the University of Nebraska System’s Open Nebraska initiative.

The broader University of Nebraska System has collectively saved students more than $16.7 million in textbook costs as of August 2023 – far exceeding a goal set in late 2020 to save students $10 million by 2023. Of those total savings, UNO students have saved $4.92 million in textbook costs since the Open Nebraska initiative began in 2018.

These cost savings for students were made possible through Open Educational Resources (OER) materials which include teaching, learning, and research resources available through the public domain or license for free use and repurposing in addition to discounted eBook options available through the UNO Bookstore.

Built on the concept of OER, the Open Nebraska initiative has opened doors for students to access courses and programs that require only low-cost or no-cost textbooks and materials. No-cost materials are incorporated directly into the course through an online learning platform while low-cost materials are available for students to purchase for no more than $40.

Jaci Lindburg, Ph.D., associate vice chancellor for Innovative and Learning-Centric Initiatives at UNO, believes that further expanding the use of OER materials in courses at UNO demonstrates a new level of care and support for UNO students.

“As textbook prices have risen over time, students increasingly find themselves questioning whether or not they need a certain book or material. Taking a gamble by starting a course without an expensive book only to find they need it later can set students back academically as well as financially,” Lindburg said. “Open Nebraska enables us to provide a culture of support for our students, ensuring that the price of textbooks is less of a burden as we continue to expand the availability of OER materials campuswide.”

Collaboration between UNO’s Division of Innovative and Learning-Centric Initiatives (ILCI), UNO Libraries, the registrar, the UNO Bookstore, and faculty across the university have led to increased adoption of OER materials that are accessible and meet academic standards. Courses that offer OER materials are indicated as such in UNO’s class search, helping students locate and enroll in courses with low-cost or no-cost materials.

As adoption has increased, it has become possible for students to pursue full degree programs built entirely around OER materials. UNO’s undergraduate sociology program was the first program in the University of Nebraska System to create a full degree program where students can graduate without paying more than $40 per course for most materials.

See more about the Open Nebraska Initiative and its cost savings for students in news reports published by KMTV and the Nebraska Examiner.