LibreFest and OctoberFest

The power of LibreTexts and ADAPT has been transformative in my classroom and in OER development. These platforms have not only democratized access to quality educational resources but also fostered a collaborative and innovative spirit among educators. By eliminating the high costs associated with traditional textbooks and homework platforms, LibreTexts has enhanced the learning experience and empowered students to achieve their academic goals without the financial burden traditionally associated with higher education.

As a full-time OER Librarian, I work with faculty across multiple disciplines, modalities, and platforms to support the adoption, curation, and creation of open educational resources. We recognize that faculty have limited time, and learning new software can be daunting. Most faculty default to Word, Google Docs, or Canvas to build OER, but these tools often result in cumbersome, difficult-to-navigate resources that can take 150–300 hours to develop. Faculty struggle to edit long documents and remix content effectively, and students find the final product less usable.

Switching to LibreTexts transformed our workflow. Tasks that once required over 100 hours now take just one or two. The total time to remix and curate an OER dropped from 300 hours to just 20. LibreTexts streamlined our work breakdown structures, making the entire process more efficient, scalable, and sustainable.

I’ve seen the results firsthand. Faculty love the flexibility, and students love having their materials in multiple formats—whether in print, on their phones, embedded in Canvas, or on the LibreTexts website.

I’m all in. I’ve drunk the Kool-Aid. I’ve seen the power of LibreTexts, and it’s the software I promote the most.

LibreTexts provides the key that unlocks the door to a world of possibilities for accessing, creating, and sharing educational resources that empower teachers and students to engage in authentic, meaningful learning and teaching opportunities. This inventive, innovative repository of open educational resources can help guide learners to success.

Just as the protagonists in "The Wizard of Oz" discover their own potential abilities and strengths without needing to rely on traditional means, so, too, LibreTexts can serve as a pathway, similar to "The Yellow Brick Road," to the discovery of skills, knowledge, and self-confidence." There's no place like LibreTexts for the exciting world of open education!

LibreTexts has made my transition to using OER textbooks in all my math courses easy and enjoyable! I love the way I can customize existing OER content so easily into a coherent textbook that covers exactly the right topics and in the way I want them presented. If an explanation or an instruction is unclear, I can improve the wording quickly and easily. If additional examples are needed for a topic, I can easily add them. My students appreciate not having to pay for a textbook, and their performance has not been hindered. In fact, on topics for which I have added my own new explanations and examples, they have performed even better than before!

I have moved to LibreTexts for all of my classes. It has allowed me to take full advantage of OER so that I was able to customize the textbook by remixing it and also directly embed my videos throughout and embed fully interactive activities allowing students to have mathematics learning materials that address all of their learning styles. My students have repeatedly thanked me for providing them with free materials that provide them the opportunity to succeed in their math classes.

I have been using the LibreTexts ADAPT homework system for several years, and it has been an invaluable tool for student learning. The well-designed question banks provide engaging practice opportunities that help students deepen their understanding of course material. ADAPT has become an integral part of my teaching strategy to support student success.

The power of LibreTexts and ADAPT has been transformative in my classroom and in OER development. These platforms have not only democratized access to quality educational resources but also fostered a collaborative and innovative spirit among educators. By eliminating the high costs associated with traditional textbooks and homework platforms, LibreTexts has enhanced the learning experience and empowered students to achieve their academic goals without the financial burden traditionally associated with higher education.
In the past 4 years, I have had the pleasure of co-authoring three Spanish OERs through LibreTexts and ADAPT. Through these projects, we are not only creating content for our classes, but also pioneering a new era of accessible and high-quality open resources. Our work exemplifies the potential of OER to revolutionize education by making it more inclusive and equitable. By having my Spanish OER textbooks in LibreTexts and using the free ADAPT homework, my students don’t have to worry about paying for the $200 textbook bundle anymore. LibreTexts has made this possible, and it stands as a testament to what we can achieve when we prioritize accessibility and innovation in education. Together, we are shaping a future where every student has the resources they need to succeed.

During the 4 years that I have used it, the growth and development of ADAPT has been remarkable. It is an indispensable part of my pedagogy to enhance student success and learning.

LibreTexts Founder and Executive Director, Delmar Larsen, provided an in-depth, hands-on workshop that covered everything our faculty needed to know to get started using ADAPT for their courses. We learned more about the open homework and assessment platform and how it can help take our campus OER efforts to the next level! We were excited by all the upcoming new features that will enhance the interactivity of OER for students and provide faculty with even more options for creating accessible, engaging content!

Delmar's recent live presentation on the LibreTexts ADAPT homework system at West Los Angeles College was both informative and timely. Several of our faculty members, including those from the Spanish and Biotechnology departments, showed great interest in the training. This training was particularly relevant as they are in the process of converting their Spanish and Biotechnology Lab Technician educational pathways to OER/ZTC. in addition, the discussion about the new AI tutoring tool that Delmar and his team are developing this summer for integration into the ADAPT system was especially fascinating!

LibreTexts has helped revolutionize Open Educational Resources on our campus. Our faculty have found community with other educators who are also freeing their courses, and they have embraced the academic freedom inherent in curating and creating their own materials. We couldn't have accomplished so much, so quickly, without their support.

LibreTexts has redefined equity in education, providing free, high-quality resources that break down barriers for California students and beyond. Under Dr. Delmar Larsen’s leadership, the team consistently delivers exceptional support—technical, managerial, and accessibility-focused—while addressing the diverse needs of disciplines and learners, from complex mathematical equations to vast art history visuals. Their powerful tools, including ADAPT for adaptive learning, the OER Remixer, Commons, Conductor, advanced visualization platforms, 3D molecular modeling, Jupyter Notebooks integration, and seamless LMS compatibility, alongside their integration of global best practices, ensure an unparalleled, adaptive learning experience. LibreTexts exemplifies what inclusive, cutting-edge education should be: accessible, responsive, and transformative.

The ADAPT platform allows nursing faculty from around the world to create and collaboratively share NCLEX Next-Generation style questions and case studies to help nursing students prepare for their licensure exam. To my knowledge, this is the only platform that promotes this level of faculty collaboration to promote student success.

LibreTexts has redefined equity in education, providing free, high-quality resources that break down barriers for California students and beyond. Under Dr. Delmar Larsen’s leadership, the team consistently delivers exceptional support—technical, managerial, and accessibility-focused—while addressing the diverse needs of disciplines and learners, from complex mathematical equations to vast art history visuals. Their powerful tools, including ADAPT for adaptive learning, the OER Remixer, Commons, Conductor, advanced visualization platforms, 3D molecular modeling, Jupyter Notebooks integration, and seamless LMS compatibility, alongside their integration of global best practices, ensure an unparalleled, adaptive learning experience. LibreTexts exemplifies what inclusive, cutting-edge education should be: accessible, responsive, and transformative.

Dr. Delmar Larsen, founder and executive director of LibreTexts, exemplifies visionary leadership and unwavering dedication to advancing Open Educational Resources (OER). His extensive knowledge across scientific disciplines, combined with a strong commitment to educational equity, has transformed the landscape of OER content creation and distribution. Through LibreTexts, Dr. Larsen has pioneered one of the most comprehensive and accessible platforms for high-quality, free textbooks and learning materials, empowering educators and students globally. His service to the academic community—characterized by innovation, collaboration, and a commitment to reducing educational barriers—has not only expanded access to knowledge but also cultivated a sustainable model for OER development that continues to inspire and uplift the open education movement.