Libraries of ATN
Purpose
The Libraries of the Australian Technology Network of Universities (LATN) are offering grants of up to $50,000 to support the transition of traditional textbooks/resources to Open Educational Resources (OER) . This initiative aims to enhance student access to essential study materials by removing cost barriers associated with traditional textbooks or restrictive licensing practice forced upon Libraries that make it difficult for large cohorts of first and second year students to access materials ( i.e. Limited User Licenses). Ultimately the funds should facilitate the release of an educational resource that is open and freely available to all under a Creative Commons – By Attribution (CC BY).
Eligibility
- Open to faculty and staff of LATN member universities
- Collaborative projects between multiple institutions or departments are encouraged.
- Projects can focus on adapting existing textbooks /resources or developing new OERs that align with course curricula.
Funding Use
- Cover publisher fees to make a monograph open access. Some publishers enable this even after initial publication so retrospective conversions to open can be considered.
- Develop, adapt, or create new open educational materials, including multimedia content.
- Buy out academic time to write content to produce or adapt an OER.
- Buy in Learning Designer / Curriculum Designer/ other skills to build content for an OER.
Submission Requirements
- Project Proposal (max 5 pages):
- Title and summary of the project.
- Objectives and expected outcomes.
- Description of the target student population and courses benefiting from the project.
- Detailed plan outlining the conversion or creation process, including timelines and key milestones.
- Explanation of how the project will support student learning and success.
Budget Plan
- Detailed budget outline, specifying how funds will be allocated.
- Justification for each budget item.
Impact Statement
- Expected impact on student access to resources and academic success.
- Degree of alignment with LATN’s goal of supporting textbook affordability for first and second year cohorts.
- Potential for scalability and adoption by other institutions.
Supporting Documents
- Letters of support from department heads or academic leaders to undertake the work, including support for publishing outputs under an open license.
- Any relevant agreements with publishers or collaborators.
Evaluation Criteria
The selection of grant recipients is a competitive process assessed by members of the LATN Executive based on the following criteria:
- Relevance and Need: The degree to which the project addresses a clear and significant need for open educational resources.
- Feasibility: The realism of the proposed timeline, budget, and resource allocation.
- Impact: Potential impact on student access and learning outcomes.
- Innovation: Creativity in approach to transitioning materials to open access or developing new resources.
- Collaboration: Degree of collaboration among institutions or departments.
Note: LATN reserves the right to partially fund, fully fund, or not fund any project submissions based on the evaluation criteria and available resources.
Submission Process
Submit proposals via the ATN Libraries’ online submission portal.
Deadline for Submissions: 6 September 2026
- Applications open: 27 July 2026.
- Applications will be assessed in the week commencing 7 September 2026.
- Applicants will be notified of a decision within two weeks of the assessment date.
Reporting and Accountability
Successful applicants are required to submit a mid-project progress report.
A final report detailing project outcomes, initial impact on student learning, and expenditure of funds is due within 6 months of project completion.
Your Local LATN Library can offer application support and guidance (local contacts can be found within the Guideline and Application form).
