From Library Collection to College Curriculum

In the United States higher education landscape, the escalating cost of course materials remains a significant barrier to student success and retention. When textbooks and required media are not bundled with tuition, a pedagogical "equity gap" emerges: many students are forced to choose between accumulating additional debt or attempting coursework without the necessary materials. There is a growing institutional need for libraries to serve as proactive partners in mitigating the costs of educational resources through Open Educational Resources (OER) and licensed library materials. This presentation will explore a transformative model where the academic library is integrated directly into the university’s formal course approval process. By positioning librarians as reviewers in the early stages of curriculum development, the library gains a strategic window to evaluate the "affordability profile" of new courses. This intervention allows for two critical points of engagement: 1. Consultative Review: Librarians can identify high-cost textbooks or restricted media and initiate conversations with faculty about equivalent OER or existing library-licensed resources that are free for student use. 2. Strategic Support: The library can assess whether it can acquire multi-user licenses for required materials, effectively shifting the cost from the individual student to the institutional level. The presenter will provide an in-depth look at the review system implemented at a large U.S. university. They will examine how data gathered during the course approval process is fed back into the collection development and renewal process. By tracking which materials are consistently required across the curriculum, the library can make evidence-based decisions on which licensed databases and e-book packages provide the highest return on investment for student learning. Attendees will leave with a framework for navigating departmental politics to secure a seat at the curriculum table. The presentation will demonstrate that when the library moves from the periphery to the center of course design, it does more than save students money—it ensures that the library’s collection is an active, vital component of the university’s pedagogical mission.