Stories & Calendar

A supportive group of people in the Open Education Network (OEN) have been experimenting with Ketty, a web-based, open-source book production platform designed to support collaborative authoring, editing, and publishing. 

Our goal was to test and shape the open-source tool for open textbook production, and consider how it may become part of our shared infrastructure. Now at a crossroads, I’d like to look back at what we’ve accomplished and where we may go from here. 

About 60 miles northeast of Dallas, the rural community of Commerce, Texas, is a “close-knit town full of caring citizens, involved students, and a thriving entrepreneurial spirit,” as described on its website. The town is also home to East Texas A&M University (ETAMU), an R2 public institution designated as a “Higher Access” school due to its strong regional impact, community engagement, and service to underrepresented students.

Our Pub101 for Authors 2026 series concludes with smart steps authors might consider for their newly published works. Join Cheryl Casey (University of Arizona) and Meggie Mapes (University of Kansas) as they share their comprehensive knowledge and hands-on experience helping authors promote OER with different audiences, track reader engagement, address sustainability and ongoing maintenance, plan for subsequent editions, and much more. Hosted by Melissa Chim (Excelsior University).

Join Liza Long of the Idaho State Board of Education for an engaging conversation on artificial intelligence and interactive content in open publishing. Hosted by Amanda Larson of The Ohio State University, our most recent session of Pub101 for Authors helped participants explore opportunities to incorporate GenAI,  consider pedagogical objectives when including AI and interactives, gain key insights on how to cite, integrate, and track AI content, and much more.

The Open Textbook Library is a user-friendly, reputable online source for openly licensed textbooks, supported by the Open Education Network and the broader open education community. In April, the library turned 14 and offers more than 1,800 textbooks for visitors to download without delay, at no cost. To celebrate, we’re sharing a few updates on our ongoing efforts to serve the common good, and a reminder to stop by the library anytime.

Our latest session of Pub101 for Authors examines Working in Teams with Michigan State University colleagues, Linda Miles and Rajiv Ranjan. The two discuss common open textbook creation processes, explore the teamwork approach, and consider how a community of practice adds value. They also review tools and workflows, identify early conversations to have with collaborators. and offer insight to help you navigate inevitable challenges, including time constraints, miscommunication, and differences of opinion. Hosted by University of Arkansas' Christine Rickabaugh. 

Join host Melissa Chim of Excelsior University as she welcomes Penn State colleagues Dr. Bryan McGeary, Julie Meyer, Dr. Michael Polgar, and Wade Shumaker for an insightful discussion of OER project management at this week's Pub101 for Authors. You'll learn to define core principles, understand how openness influences planning and workflows, compare and contrast strategies for balancing flexibility and accountability, and apply collaboration techniques to manage multi-stakeholder projects effectively, and much more.

This week's session of Pub101 for Authors delves into the complexities of open publishing, including copyright, licenses, remixes, and fair use. In her presentation, Christine Rickabaugh of the University of Arkansas defines "open" vs. "free to use," outlines the challenges of remixing content, and shares points authors need to know about using third-party tools or images in open textbooks. She also provides helpful resources and practical support for navigating open licenses. Hosted by Jessica McClean of the University of Texas at Arlington.

In this synchronous session of Pub101 for Authors, we welcome speaker Tiffani Tijerina from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Drawing on more than a decade of open education work and two award‑winning open books, Tiffani explores accessibility considerations in open publishing, including updated ADA requirements and tips and tricks for using accessibility checkers. Her insight helps attendees understand why accessibility matters and how to apply accessibility practices throughout their workflows. Cindy Gruwell of the University of West Florida hosts the discussion.

Introduced in 2026, Pub101 for Authors is a free, online orientation to open textbook publishing that complements our openly available curriculum. Colleagues share what they’ve learned so that faculty authors can get started with writing an open textbook. The synchronous experience is open to the extended Open Education Network community. In this inaugural session, Karen Lauritsen, OEN Senior Director, Publishing, introduces the Open Education Network, defines what to expect at Pub101 for Authors, and helps participants begin to consider their capacity for publishing.