Meet the Authors
Elise LeMonnier
I am a senior at the University of Utah. I am double-majoring in Honors Art History and English with a minor in Arts Technology. I love to read, write, and research. When I am not working, I am baking or walking my dog.
Initial Thoughts on OERs:
I had never heard of OERs when I started working in the library my senior year.
I had been fairly socialized to believe that paying a fortune for textbooks every semester was a natural part of the university experience — paying extra for resources in a class that you had already paid to take. I heard students complaining about their 300 dollar textbooks and thought, “What do they expect, they’re college students.”
Before this year, I did not realize that this way of thinking functioned almost like a trap. I did not conceive that my identity as a student meant that, as a student, I should be able to decide how I wanted to learn.
I am nearly heartbroken that it is only in my last year of university that I learned about Open Educational Resources. Free textbooks and valuable supplemental readings are flashing before my eyes. Luckily, I now get to work in the library, ensuring that OERs become more accessible and no one else has to face my fate.
Emma Day
I’m a freshman at the University of Utah studying Business Marketing. I love reading, hiking, and of course spending time with my puppy Oliver. You can usually find me outdoors or getting lost in a good book.
Initial Thoughts on OERs:
As a freshman studying Marketing, diving into the world of OER has been such a cool and eye-opening experience. I had no idea how big of a difference open access to learning materials could make until I started learning about it firsthand. The fact that we can help cut down textbook costs and make education more accessible for everyone is honestly amazing.
I’ve been using what I’m learning in my marketing classes to help spread the word — showing students and faculty how OER can be a complete game-changer. The more I learn, the more excited I get about advocating for Open Materials. It’s wild to think how something as simple as sharing free, high-quality resources could have such a big impact.
