Free Textbooks Are Not Always Free: New Study Analyzes OER’s Costs to Colleges - Jeffrey R. Young, EdSurge

When professors shift to assigning Open Educational Resources instead of publisher-produced textbooks, the move typically saves students money (and it can be a significant amount). But OER is not free, since it costs money to develop the materials, takes time for professors to evaluate and adopt them, and typically involves other campus-support services as well. A report released last week gives perhaps the most detailed accounting of the pricetag to colleges looking to make signiciant moves to OER. https://www.edsurge.com/news/2018-10-18-free-textbooks-are-not-always-free-new-study-analyzes-oer-s-costs-to-colleges