Come together: Engaging campus partners to respond to OER and textbook legislation in Texas

Numerous pieces of legislation around textbooks, OER, and inclusive access have been passed across the United States the past few years. In Texas, SB 810-focused on transparency around OER-was passed in 2017. In 2021, Texas passed HB 1027, mandating transparency around inclusive access programs. In this panel discussion Texas Digital Library OER Ambassadors will share experiences working with their respective campus partners to implement practical and innovative solutions in response to this legislation. This panel will have a special focus on the innovative sleuthing and problem-solving necessary to craft frameworks supporting these mandates. Librarians will also shed light on the practical mechanics necessary for setting textbook legislation into motion at Texas institutions, including ensuring representation of critical players on system-wide and institutional task forces and highlighting virtues of the legislation in conversations with campus partners. The Texas Digital Library (TDL) is a collaborative consortium based in Texas and rooted in higher education. Texas Digital Library builds capacity among its membership for ensuring equitable access to and preservation of digital content of value to research, instruction, cultural heritage, and institutional memory. In 2020, TDL expanded its services to include support for Open Educational Resources (OER). Charged with developing a Community of Practice, TDL's OER Ambassador program provides a forum for member libraries to discuss and share challenges and achievements around OER initiatives that impact student success, retention, graduation rates, and the cost of higher education for college students in Texas. By attending this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Create a game-plan to support cross-campus collaboration in support of legislative mandates around OER and textbooks
2. Leverage OER and textbook legislation to help improve the campus experience for students
3. Connect with campus partners to navigate complex technological and infrastructure challenges posed by legislative mandates around OER and textbooks