In 2024, Florida Virtual Campus (FLVC) launched the OPEN FL Publishing Program for its 40 member institutions with the primary purpose of facilitating OER adoption, adaption, and authoring in Florida public higher education. As a state-funded consortium, FLVC’s OER publishing initiative offers a unique perspective on navigating the legislative landscape, launching a program without grant funding, and acting/reacting promptly, per government requirements and member needs. Importantly, FLVC’s OPEN FL Publishing request needed to be carefully crafted through multiple steps for approval by LBR (legislative budget request) which is not guaranteed. Then, once the request was approved, the consortium had to move quickly with next steps: arranging contracts with vendors, training staff, and advertising to members with no grant funding to support textbook development. After the fast and furious creation of the program, member participation had grown slowly, but steadily. This slow growth in community uptake has proven to be a boon for team and member learning and organic spread of the program’s worth among institutions. The process of creation and launch of an OER publishing program is best understood in terms of a series of challenges and wins. The speakers will engage in a lively exchange, presenting obstacles encountered in the launch phase of the project, followed by solutions which represent a win for OER publishing and, ultimately, students. The dramatization of decision points in this session will entertain, inform, and inspire attendees.
