[SLI-public] Open source textbooks

[Hazel Onsrud]

Hi folks,

I could use some assistance, especially from any open source textbook literate librarians. I am trying to update our nonfiction sections and I am always looking for good basic books on science and engineering topics and sustainable solutions appropriate for (geeky) public library consumption. I sent the following ask to the State of Maine listserv, but I didn't get much back. Any leads on your favorite books are appreciated! We are a large lender statewide, so they'll get a lot of use. :)

My apologies for any typos; I'm replying on my phone with mischievous fingertips.


Hazel Onsrud  | Ms./Mx./she/her/they/them |  Adult Services Librarian

Curtis Memorial Library<https://curtislibrary.com/>  |  The public library in Brunswick, Maine<https://native-land.ca/maps/territories/wabanaki-confederacy/> & a Climate Resilience Hub<https://www.climatecrew.org/resilience_hubs?locale=en>

207.725.5242 ext. 228 | hazel at curtislibrary.com<mailto:hazel at curtislibrary.com>

Check out our Library of Things<https://curtislibrary.com/adults/library-of-things/> and ask us how we're working to support the Sustainable Development Goals<https://librarymap.ifla.org/>. Yes, we're part of the Sustainable Libraries Initiative<https://sustainablelibrariesinitiative.org/> , LOT Mutual Aid Group<https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1V2_73jOO8F-tGP8boQ2g3oMevf9-rzo&usp=sharing> and MECollab<https://groups.google.com/g/mecollab>. Join our sharing ecosystem!


________________________________
From: Hazel Onsrud <honsrud at curtislibrary.com>
Sent: Friday, February 7, 2025 10:16:57 AM
To: MELIBS-L at LISTS.MAINE.EDU <MELIBS-L at LISTS.MAINE.EDU>
Subject: Re: [MELIBS-L] Open source textbooks

Open access librarians please help! Any advice, guidance or corrections are appreciated. 😉

First, please know I'm a supporter. Open textbooks have come a long way since they started. I am and always will be a fan. (I also think all teachers and professors should use them or put all their stuff online like http://scipp.ucsc.edu/outreach/index2.html 😉) However... I could currently still use some help from more experienced open textbook finders than I on this list.

Here is the scenario: I've been updating our public library's nonfiction Science & Technology Sections with open textbooks on basic knowledge. Folks still want physical books they can hold, not just ones available online. Please see below for what I purchased. That said, I ran into a number of challenges:

  *
I discovered that many textbooks were not published in the last 5 years, or had not officially been reviewed in the last 5 years, making it hard to purchase some. That noted, you'll see I did purchase some from OpenStax, which was easy to access and I had already purchased prior. https://openstax.org/ (From Rice University) I recognize that a basic algebra book could still be absolutely stellar from 2016. However, I also don't want to get a book that isn't being used by the universities today. I liked that the OpenStax versions usually noted when the web version had last been updated.
  *
https://collection.bccampus.ca/ seemed to have some good ones, but I was waiting until the CA shipping strike was over (it now is) to think about making a large purchase
  *
The existing search engines and repositories were not great for identifying updates or current use.
     *
https://lumenlearning.com
     *
https://www.intechopen.com/
     *
https://www.openculture.com/free_textbooks
[https://cdn8.openculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/free-textbooks.jpg]<https://www.openculture.com/free_textbooks>
200 Free Textbooks: A Meta Collection<https://www.openculture.com/free_textbooks>
Discover a meta collection of Free textbooks (or
www.openculture.com

     *
https://textbooks.aimath.org/
     *
https://milneopentextbooks.org/browse-by-subject/(I knew it before as Open SUNY)
  *
Some search engines such as https://oercommons.org were also frustrating because they didn't provide a search for hardcopies.
  *
TUDelft had some great stuff relevant to sustainability action in our northern climate...but IMHO not worth the cost with shipping for this first round.
  *
I am still looking for more resources. What class open textbooks for the sciences and maths am I missing?
  *
In the past I purchased the "without all the hot air" series and a few others. Each, for example, are freely available online, and not listed on any of those composite websites, so I would be very interested if anyone had favs like those that they could recommend.


Thank you all for any suggestions you have. Remember, now your folks can access our books too! 🙂 Go team. 😉


Hazel Onsrud  | Ms./Mx./she/her/they/them |  Adult Services Librarian

Curtis Memorial Library<https://curtislibrary.com/>  |  The public library in Brunswick, Maine<https://native-land.ca/maps/territories/wabanaki-confederacy/> & a Climate Resilience Hub<https://www.climatecrew.org/resilience_hubs?locale=en>

207.725.5242 ext. 228 | hazel at curtislibrary.com

Check out our Library of Things<https://curtislibrary.com/adults/library-of-things/> and ask us how we're working to support the Sustainable Development Goals<https://librarymap.ifla.org/>.

Yes, we're part of the Sustainable Libraries Initiative<https://sustainablelibrariesinitiative.org/> , Lot Mutual Aid Group<https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1V2_73jOO8F-tGP8boQ2g3oMevf9-rzo&usp=sharing> and MECollab<https://groups.google.com/g/mecollab>. Join our sharing ecosystem!

________________________________
From: Hazel Onsrud <honsrud at curtislibrary.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 24, 2024 5:23 PM
To: Fort Kent Public Library Director <fortkentpubliclibrary1 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [MELIBS-L] Open source textbooks

Hi! Well, here we really need updated basic textbooks in our collection. We tried to lend USBs with textbooks and put up signage for access to the digital oar libraries but folks still need and want traditional books. Thus we need to purchase physical copies and before I did so I thought I'd check and see what the favorite open access calc book would be for example in Maine. :) Any suggestions would be appreciated! The old horrid textbooks we have still go out all the time, so I predict this will be needed by more libraries than ours... :)

My apologies for any typos; I'm replying on my phone with mischievous fingertips.


Hazel Onsrud  | Ms./Mx./she/her/they/them |  Adult Services Librarian

Curtis Memorial Library<https://curtislibrary.com/>  |  The public library in Brunswick, Maine<https://native-land.ca/maps/territories/wabanaki-confederacy/> & a Climate Resilience Hub<https://www.climatecrew.org/resilience_hubs?locale=en>

207.725.5242 ext. 228 | hazel at curtislibrary.com<mailto:hazel at curtislibrary.com>

Check out our Library of Things<https://curtislibrary.com/adults/library-of-things/> and ask us how we're working to support the Sustainable Development Goals<https://librarymap.ifla.org/>. Yes, we're part of the Sustainable Libraries Initiative<https://sustainablelibrariesinitiative.org/> , LOT Mutual Aid Group<https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1V2_73jOO8F-tGP8boQ2g3oMevf9-rzo&usp=sharing> and MECollab<https://groups.google.com/g/mecollab>. Join our sharing ecosystem!

________________________________


On Sat, Oct 19, 2024 at 10:06 PM Hazel Onsrud <honsrud at curtislibrary.com<mailto:honsrud at curtislibrary.com>> wrote:
What are your favorite open-source textbooks appropriate for the average public (i.e. good for a public library)?

We're going to purchase a few in print and I want to make sure I add your favs too!


My apologies for any typos; I'm replying on my phone with mischievous fingertips.


Hazel Onsrud  | Ms./Mx./she/her/they/them |  Adult Services Librarian

Curtis Memorial Library<https://curtislibrary.com/>  |  The public library in Brunswick, Maine<https://native-land.ca/maps/territories/wabanaki-confederacy/> & a Climate Resilience Hub<https://www.climatecrew.org/resilience_hubs?locale=en>

207.725.5242 ext. 228 | hazel at curtislibrary.com<mailto:hazel at curtislibrary.com><mailto:hazel at curtislibrary.com<mailto:hazel at curtislibrary.com>>

Check out our Library of Things<https://curtislibrary.com/adults/library-of-things/> and ask us how we're working to support the Sustainable Development Goals<https://librarymap.ifla.org/>. Yes, we're part of the Sustainable Libraries Initiative<https://sustainablelibrariesinitiative.org/> , LOT Mutual Aid Group<https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1V2_73jOO8F-tGP8boQ2g3oMevf9-rzo&usp=sharing> and MECollab<https://groups.google.com/g/mecollab>. Join our sharing ecosystem!

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