[Oer-community] Introduction to the discussion

[Paul Lefrere]

rory <rory at athabascau.ca> writes:
>  Paul, et al.
>
>I did not see this in the same way as you. I saw "in the place of current
>expenditures" more about external spending than internal. We can replace the
>payments to publishers and licensing fees of our libraries by using OERs. Then
>it is no longer zero sum. Internally, I would support (in our context)
>diverting internal money also from printing and mailing to online access to
>resources. Of course robbing Peter to pay Paul does not always work as you
>note below and we should be careful not to penalize  other productive areas
>of the institution, so I do not disagree there. 


- Rory, I agree with the direction you are taking (find savings that can
release funds for OER), although I wasn't thinking at such a detailed level. If
the savings identified are insufficient to meet the OER funding needs, the main
options I'd expect an institution to look at would be either finding
efficiencies that enable it to meet its OER needs using a lower level of
resources; or setting out a clear vision for OER that brings new converts to
OER and associated resources; or using insights from OER to find a path to
additional resources. The latter could involve doing something new, and/or
could include the "wealth creation" that I referred to in my mail. Wealth does
not have to be limited to money. A society is wealthier in a deeper sense than
financial if its citizens know more than past generations, are tolerant of
multiple opinions and ways of living and being, are open to old and new ideas,
and share individual insights for the common good, thereby adding to the depth
and breadth of their community's knowledge base and giving it more ways to
respond to challenges.

>I also would like to respectfully suggest a change in your statement:
>"Think of sustainability not in terms of money, but rather in terms of impact
>that is wholly positive"
>To
>"Think of sustainability not JUST in terms of money, but rather in terms of
>impact that is wholly positive"

- I like your suggestion

> would suggest that anyone who is not looking at the financial implications of
>sustainability(as well as other factors) is not being systematic. Financial
>considerations need not rule everything, but that does not mean that they are
>unimportant and should not be considered.
>

- I'm persuaded

Paul


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