Initiatives: Open Educational Resources

Maryland Open Source Textbook Initiative

With the passage of The Textbook Cost Savings Act of 2017, the Maryland General Assembly charged the USM’s Kirwan Center with supporting and scaling the adoption of "openly licensed, fully accessible" instructional materials across Maryland public higher education institutions through the Maryland Open Source Textbook (M.O.S.T.) initiative.

M.O.S.T. began in 2013 to provide a statewide opportunity for faculty and institutions to explore the promise of open educational resources (OERs) to reduce students' cost of attendance while maintaining, or perhaps even improving, learning outcomes.  OERs are any openly licensed instructional materials that are also typically available at little or no cost. The term can include textbooks, course readings, and other learning content; simulations, games, and other learning applications; syllabi, quizzes, and assessment tools; and virtually any other material that can be used for instructional purposes.

The M.O.S.T. initiative has saved students over $14.2 million in textbook costs from Spring 2014 through Fall 2020.  Learn more about M.O.S.T. and find resources to support your OER adoption.

Our Work in Open Educational Resources

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July 31, 2023

The University System of Maryland (USM) has received a two-year planning grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), a federal agency charged with advancing, supporting, and empowering America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development.

July 19, 2023

The Maryland Open Source Textbook (M.O.S.T.) initiative is pleased to announce the awardees of the 2023 OER Grant Programs: 2023 Faculty OER Mini-Grants and 2023 Institutional OER Grants.

July 6, 2022

The Maryland Open Source Textbook (M.O.S.T.) initiative is pleased to announce the awardees of the 2022 OER Grant Programs: 2022 Faculty OER Mini-Grants and 2022 Institutional OER Grants.

The M.O.S.T. Faculty OER Mini-Grant Program is designed to strategically support faculty efforts to increase access, affordability, and achievement for students at Maryland’s 2-year and 4-year higher education institutions through the incorporation of open educational resources (OER) into teaching practice. The 2022 M.O.S.T. faculty mini-grants will provide recipients with unique opportunities to engage in communities of practice related to teaching with OER and the creation of OER in high-need areas. This year, 5 faculty grantees were selected from five 2- and 4-year Maryland public higher education institutions, with a potential impact on 1,000 students in AY 2022-2023

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