JCU Library News

JCU Library joins the Open Education Network: A Strategic Commitment for Students, Staff and the JCU Community

noreply@blogger.com (JCU Library) — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 01:45:02 +0000

JCU Library has taken a significant step forward in advancing equitable access to education by joining the Open Education Network (OEN), a move that reflects both our institutional values and our ongoing commitment to supporting student equity and success.

What is the Open Education Network?

The Open Education Network is a global nonprofit consortium of higher education institutions dedicated to supporting the use, creation, and sharing of Open Educational Resources (OERs). Through collaboration, advocacy, and professional development, the OEN empowers institutions to improve textbook accessibility and broaden access to high-quality learning materials.

By joining the OEN, our library gains access to:

A global community of open education practitioners
Professional development programs and certification opportunities
Shared resources and tools for OER adoption and creation
Collaborative research and innovation initiatives.

Why This Matters for JCU

JCU has long demonstrated a commitment to student success, equity, and regional impact, particularly in North Queensland and the broader tropics. Becoming part of the Open Education Network aligns with these priorities.

📚Enhancing Access and Affordability

Textbook costs remain a barrier for many students. Through participation in the OEN, JCU can expand its adoption of open textbooks and other OER, helping to:

Reduce financial pressures on students
Ensure all learners have immediate and equitable access to course materials
Support retention and success, especially for regional and remote students.

✨Supporting Academic Innovation in Learning and Teaching Resources

Joining the OEN provides JCU educators with opportunities to engage in professional development and collaborate nationally and globally. This enables:

Adoption of innovative teaching practices
Co-creation of resources tailored to local and disciplinary needs
Sharing of JCU-developed OER with the wider community.

🎓Strengthening Collaboration and Recognition for JCU

As a member of an international network, JCU has a platform to connect with institutions worldwide. This fosters:

Cross-institutional partnerships
Shared scholarship in teaching and learning
Opportunities to highlight JCU’s leadership in open education within the Australian and global context.

What This Means for Students and Staff

The impact of this partnership has many benefits across the university community.

For students:

Increased textbook affordability from low or no-cost learning materials
Improved access to learning resources from day one of classes
More engaging, digitally accessible and interactive learning experiences.

For academic and professional staff:

Access to training and support in open education practices
Opportunities for recognition through OEN innovations and scholarship of teaching and learning
A collaborative community, with increased impact and citation advantage for authors.

A Step Toward a More Open Future

JCU’s membership in the Open Education Network represents a powerful step toward a more inclusive, collaborative, and accessible higher education landscape. By embracing open education, the university is not only supporting its own students and staff, it is contributing to a broader global effort to remove barriers and re-imagine the future of learning.

➡️To find out more about Textbook Affordability Solutions at JCU: Textbook Affordability Project

➡️To find out more about Open Education at JCU: JCU Open eBooks Achievements and Impacts

MABO DAY 2026: Listen & Watch Eddie Koiki Mabo Speak!

noreply@blogger.com (Bronwyn) — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 01:29:08 +0000

Eddie Koiki Mabo, © James Cook University

On Mabo Day we look back at the work and achievements of Eddie Koiki Mabo who played a key role in the changing of Australian law and therefore the recognition of the rights of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Follow this link to listen to and watch Koiki Mabo give a lecture on the Torres Strait Islander Community for free, online through NQHeritage@JCU - the Library's repository for the Special Collections.

During this fifty minute recording, we hear the authoritative voice of Koiki Mabo, a confident and articulate multilingual man. He speaks of the history of the Torres Strait Islander community both in the Torres Strait and on the Australian mainland and the long term impact on his culture of the coming of the white man, from the first missionaries to current government administrators.

Delivered as part of the Race & Culture course in 1982 it allows privileged access to a historical moment in time where Koiki Mabo is at the beginning of his decade long land rights court battle. He had attended the Land Rights Conference the year before, organised by the politically active JCU Student Association, and this is where he met with visiting lawyers and scholars who saw the merit in his case and agreed to support it.

Visit the Eddie Koiki Mabo Library on the Bebegu Yumba Campus, Townsville to learn more about our shared histories other cultures. See the Special Collections Displays on level 1. Members of the public are welcome to visit during our serviced hours - check here for current times.

If you would like to know more about the Special Collections please get in touch by emailing specialcollections@jcu.edu.au

Take Action for National Reconciliation Week 2026: Learn More about our Shared Culture

noreply@blogger.com (Bronwyn) — Wed, 27 May 2026 08:08:25 +0000

Kassandra Savage, 'Coming Together and Respecting Difference', 2014. Acrylic on canvas, 90cm x 90cm. © Kassandra Savage, reproduced with permission of the artist. JCU Art Collection.

National Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.

A great way you can take a simple step towards reconciliation is to increase your understanding of Australian Indigenous people’s history and culture. We invite you to do that by exploring the resources held by JCU Library. From today and into the coming weeks join us at the Eddie Koiki Mabo Library on the Bebegu Yumba Campus in Townsville to view the Special Collections displays on level one.

JCU Library Special Collections has been acquiring materials (including artworks) linked to the Indigenous peoples of North Queensland for decades. The current displays showcase some of those materials according to various themes: Indigenous Knowledges, Indigenous People & Pastoralism, Eddie Koiki Mabo - the man, the Mabo Case, Biographies/Autobiographies of Indigenous people, Children’s Literature developed by Indigenous people, the contribution of past JCU Academics Noel Loos and Henry Reynolds and more. Use the QR codes present in the displays to take you to online versions of some of the resources held in NQHeritage@JCU.

We also have three precious artworks included in the display cases for you to enjoy – two ceramic works by Thanakupi (Gloria Fletcher Thancoupie) and a very precious bark painting by Goobalathaldin (Dick Roughsey).

This year’s theme for National Reconciliation Week is “ALL IN” - a call for all Australians to commit wholeheartedly to reconciliation every single day. Answer the call with us! Our “ALL IN” displays will continue into August, 2026. Members of the public are welcome to visit and view the displays during our serviced hours – check here for current times.

If you would like to know more about the JCU Library Special Collections please get in touch by emailing specialcollections@jcu.edu.au

The Clock is Ticking! Creative Research Residencies available now.

noreply@blogger.com (Bronwyn) — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 02:36:00 +0000

The Victorian Lady's Sketchbook (1892), JCU Library Special Collections. Photograph: Michael Marzik

Opportunity is knocking for researchers to win one of three Creative Research Residencies on offer from Umbrella Studio Contemporary Arts in partnership with JCU Library Special Collections.

Applications close at 5pm AEST this Thursday - 30th April, 2026.

Read more about this opportunity and get your application in today.

Reach out to the Special Collections team if you have any questions about your research topic. Email specialcollections@jcu.edu.au

Interested in what Special Collections holds? Explore the 50 Treasures showcase here.

New eBook Release: Applied Health Economics: Practical Methods for Evidence-Based Health Decisions

noreply@blogger.com (JCU Library) — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 02:56:28 +0000

JCU Library staff are proud to announce the release of Applied Health Economics: Practical Methods for Evidence-Based Health Decisions by Professor Taha Chaiechi, Dean (Academic) at ICMS and Adjunct Professor at James Cook University. This openly available ebook offers a practical and accessible guide to health economic evaluation for students, policymakers, and public health professionals.

Designed with strong relevance to Australian universities and the public health sector, the book bridges the gap between economic theory and real-world decision making. It provides applied tools to assess the value, cost-effectiveness, and broader impact of public health programs and policy interventions.

As noted by Professor Chaiechi, "Health systems are constantly asked to do more with limited resources. This book is about equipping decision-makers with practical methods they can actually use to make transparent, defensible, and evidence-based choices."

Key approaches that are covered include cost-effectiveness analysis, cost-utility and cost-benefit frameworks, return on investment (ROI), social return on investment (SROI), and multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA). It also introduces modern modelling techniques such as Markov models, which are increasingly used in public health economic evaluation.

Importantly, the book is written to be accessible to readers without extensive economics training, using real-world case studies, policy insights, and discussion prompts to support practical application.

Published as an openly available resource through the James Cook University Open eBooks Program, the book reflects a commitment to impact, outreach, and knowledge without boundaries, ensuring evidence-based health economics are freely accessible to inform public health decision-making.

Castaways - Unintentional migrants as featured in the JCU Library Special Collections "Origins" displays

noreply@blogger.com (Louise Cottrell) — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 04:34:00 +0000

Shipwrecks producing castaways may be familiar tropes in fiction, but they are also grounded in real events. Across Australia’s history, such events have occurred with regularity. Their occurrence in north Queensland has most often been because of close encounters with the Great Barrier Reef. Those who survived these wrecks became unintentional migrants - people cast into unfamiliar territories and cultures. Some were rescued, others were not. All were shaped by the communities they encountered, and through their stories, helped shape how the wider world came to understand the peoples with whom they lived.

Wood engraving of James Morrill by Samuel Calvert, dated 1863. Source: State Library of Victoria.

One of the most well-known castaways from the Townsville-Bowen region is the English sailor James Morrill. in 1846, the Peruvian, en route from Sydney to China, was wrecked on Horseshoe Reef during a storm. Morrill and six other survivors, near to death, washed ashore on the southern point of Cape Cleveland, just south of present-day Townsville. Three of these survivors perished before Morrill and the other three were found and cared for by members of the Bindal People. Before long Morrill was the sole European survivor. He was adopted by, and went on to live with, the Bindal people around Mount Elliot, later spending time with the Juru People to the south, before returning again to the Bindal on their country. Throughout the 1850s he had no contact with Europeans. His account of this period, and the people he lived with, survives in his short memoir, Sketch of a Residence among the Aboriginals of Northern Queensland for Seventeen Years, a rare book held in the JCU Library Special Collections and one of the Library’s 50 Treasures. See this precious item on display right now in the “Origins” displays on level 1 of the Mabo Library.

Sketch of a Residence by James Morrill, Rare Book Collection, JCU Library Special Collections.

In 1861, as the Kennedy District was ‘opened up’ to pastoral expansion, European incursions intensified which brought increased frontier violence. After mass killings of his adoptive kinspeople in the early 1860s, Morrill sought to act as intermediary and advocate for the plight of the traditional peoples. He approached a homestead in the Burdekin delta in January 1863, and when met with the threat of being shot, he reportedly shouted, 'Don't shoot mateys, I'm a British object.' His attempt to bridge two worlds, in that place and time, reflects both the possibilities and the limits of such roles on a violent frontier—one that ultimately proved untenable for him and unwinnable for the First Peoples themselves.

Untitled [HMS Rattlesnake?], 1891, by William Frederick Mitchell. Purchased 1964. Te Papa (1992-0035-1897).

Further north, around the same time, another story unfolded. Barbara Crawford Thompson, a Scottish-born woman who had been living in Sydney, became the sole survivor of a shipwreck in the Torres Strait in 1844. The vessel she was in was destroyed on a reef near Horn Island during a storm. Rescued from drowning, she was taken in and adopted by Kaurareg Islanders from Muralag (Prince of Wales) Island, among whom she lived for five years. The biography, Wildflower: the Barbara Crawford Thompson story, written and published by Raymond John Warren, Brisbane in 2007/8 tells her tale.

Another book which has been labelled “the most reliable modern source on the voyage and its encounter with Barbara Thompson is The Rattlesnake: A Voyage of Discovery to the Coral Sea, by Jordan Goodman (Faber & Faber, 2005)" (1), which can be found in JCU Library’s General Collection and the Shaw Collection.

Thompson’s story entered the English-speaking world through the 1852 publication Narrative of the Voyage of H.M.S. Rattlesnake by John MacGillivray. When the ship encountered Thompson, she was taken aboard and later returned to Sydney. The marine artist Oswald Brierly, who was on board, recorded her recollections of life with the Islanders. Some of Sir Oswald Walters Brierly’s original drawings, now held in JCU Special Collections (part of the 50 Treasures), capture the region connected to her experience.

H.M.S. Rattlesnake, June 7th, 1848, by Oswald Walters Brierly. Pencil on paper, 16.5 x 54.5 cm. JCU Art Collection. Photograph by Michael Marzik.

MacGillvray described Thompson as being returned to her parents in Sydney “in excellent condition”(2. p. 163). Yet, unlike many male castaways, Barbara Crawford Thompson disappears from the historical record after her return. Whether by choice or circumstance, she did not assume the role of intermediary or public witness. Her relative absence from the archives and the limelight reflects the kinds of stories colonial audiences were more inclined to value and preserve—those that reinforced familiar narratives and stereotypes of ‘wild and marauding natives’, rather than accounts that complicated or challenged such views.

ITM435752: Photographic material - Historical-Personalities, Dept no A209, Queensland State Archives.

Another well-known castaway story from north Queensland is that of Narcisse Pelletier. In 1858, at just fourteen years old, the French cabin boy was abandoned after the wreck of the Saint-Paul on the eastern coast of Cape York Peninsula, south of present-day Lockhart River. He was rescued and adopted by an Aboriginal family of the Uutaalnganu-speaking Pama Malngkana (Sandbeach People). Pelletier lived with them for seventeen years, becoming fully integrated into community life. He learned language, participated in cultural practices, and underwent initiation ceremony.

In 1875, however, he was taken against his will (by his own account), by the crew of a British pearling vessel and transported to Sydney, before being returned to France later that year. He remained there until his death in 1894.

His experiences were first recorded in Dix-sept ans chez les sauvages (Seventeen years with the Savages): les aventure de Narcisse Pelletier by Constant Merland. This text includes some of the earliest sheet music to record Aboriginal songs.. The featured four Cape York Songs were transcribed and arranged by Edouard Garnier from the singing of Narcisse Pelletier, with the lyrics written phonetically in language.

Recent publications featured in the library display about Pelletier’s story include Stephanie Anderson’s Pelletier - The Forgotten Castaway of Cape York. Published by Melbourne books (2009), it contains an introductory essay and English translation of the original book about Pelletier’s experiences by Merland, and an ethnographic commentary by Athol Chase, and can be found in the library’s General Collection. Robert Macklin’s Castaway: The extraordinary survival story of Narcisse Pelletier, a young French cabin boy shipwrecked on Cape York in 1858, published in 2019, is held in the Library’s NQ Collection and Shaw Collection of Australian Art & Culture.

The North Queensland Collection copy of Living with the locals: Early Europeans' experiences of Indigenous life.

These individual accounts are brought together in broader works such as Living with the Locals, Early Europeans’ Experience of Indigenous Life, by John Maynard and Victoria Haskins, published by the National Library of Australia (NLA) in 2016. Drawing on extensive archival research and the work of numerous recent researchers, the book situates stories like those of Morrill, Thompson, and Pelletier within a wider pattern of cross-cultural encounters and relationships across Australia in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. ABC news, in promoting this book, published an article by the authors about its development which features a series of six short animations celebrating these first contact stories of friendship and survival, under the same name: Living with the Locals.

As unintentional migrants, these castaways occupied a unique position between worlds. Their stories, shaped by survival, adaptation, and cultural exchange, continue to expand our understanding of Australia’s shared and contested past.

Castaways – unintentional migrants is an aspect of the JCU Library Special Collection’s current Origins displays that are on view on Level 1 of the Eddie Koiki Mabo Library, JCU Bebegu Yumba Campus, Townsville / Thul Garrie Waja until Sunday 19th April 2026.

You can find more books about castaways and NQ ‘shipwreck survivors’ in the JCU Discovery Collection - Studies in North Queensland History.

References

1. Ashworth, W. B., Jr. (2025, October 16). Scientist of the day: Barbara Crawford Thompson. Linda Hall Library. https://www.lindahall.org/about/news/scientist-of-the-day/barbara-crawford-thompson/

2. Maynard, J., & Haskins, V. (2016). Living with the locals. NLA Publishing.

Understanding Open Access at JCU: Progress towards an open future

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 06:29:00 +0000

For the last three years the JCU Library has been rolling out several educational initiatives to improve academics’ understanding and usage of the various pathways to making scholarly work open access. These initiatives have included open access publishing workshops, Read and Publish Agreements resources, and an annual green open access competition. At the end of 2025, Library staff released a survey to gauge the impact of open access initiatives and to plan for future activities. The survey received responses from 171 researchers. This brief document highlights some of the results from that survey.

A third of survey respondents came from the College of Science and Engineering, while around 20 percent came from the College of Medicine and Dentistry. The proportion from other colleges and organisational units was quite consistent, with the exception of one respondent who came from the Education Division.

The survey revealed a wide diversity of experience with open access publishing among JCU researchers. More than half of respondents have published research open access using the university’s suite of Read and Publish Agreements, while just under half have published in a diamond open-access journal. Close to 30 percent have converted restricted articles to open access for free using green open access. Less than 10 percent have not published any articles open access and a similar percentage of respondents were unsure whether they had published open access. Significant progress has been made advancing the cause of open access at JCU but work remains to be done educating researchers about the full range of options available to them.

With the proliferation of digital platforms and tools, reaching an audience to promote open access is becoming increasingly challenging. As part of the survey, researchers identified some of the digital platforms that they used most. Almost half of respondents reported using LinkedIn, while just over a third identified themselves as regular readers of The Conversation followed to a lesser extent, by Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky and X (Twitter). Surprisingly, 15 percent of the respondents indicated that they did not use digital platforms at all.

If you would like to know more about open access publishing or how to make your publications freely available, check out the Library’s website or reach out to JCU Library.

Celebrating Open Education Week: 2-6 March 2026

noreply@blogger.com (JCU Library) — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 01:27:00 +0000

This year, marks the 15th annual Open Education Week. This international event is currently being celebrated from 2-6 March 2026 to raise awareness and highlight innovative open education successes worldwide. For details about global events and good news stories the official site for Open Education Week is a great starting point.

From our local perspective, JCU Library proudly supports open education and partners with academic authors to identify and advocate for openly available educational resources through the JCU Open eBooks Program. Through this initiative, openly available ebooks have been published in a variety of subject disciplines taught at JCU including nursing, business, health science, project management, history, French language, education, science and more.  

Additionally, the Library’s Open Educational Resources Discovery Collection is a growing set of high-quality teaching resources that are freely available and are aligned to courses at JCU. These resources have been curated by our librarian subject specialists to ensure they meet the needs of the wider JCU community.

See our Open Educational Resources Guide to learn more about the benefits of Open Educational Resources and watch out for more openly available ebooks coming soon.

If you would like to know more about these and other solutions for reducing textbook costs for our students please contact Library staff.

ORIGINS: Displays from the Special Collections showcasing the diversity of North Queenslanders

noreply@blogger.com (Louise Cottrell) — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 03:24:00 +0000

Ghiridelli’s gang of canecutters from Mantua, ca. 1900—1915, NQ Photographic Collection, Publications Album, NQID 3140.
Go to NQHeritage@JCU to read Sotto la Croce del Sud = Under the Southern Cross: The Jumna immigrants of 1891.

What makes history, and how does it shape our lives?

Wars, natural disasters, political manoeuvrings – large events make a difference to what shapes the world, but you don’t have to look further than yourself and your family to see how the past shapes the here and now.

When Italians eat panettone at Christmas, when Hindus celebrate Diwali, when someone speaks a different language at home than they do in school, these are all influences that the past has on our present. When people migrate to a new place they take with them objects that they value – a school report, an embroidery sampler, a diary, a family recipe – that have meaning to them.

William Hann's expedition diary, 1871. Photograph by Michael Marzik.
Go to NQHeritage@JCU to read the diary online.

From stories of journeys, to stories of survival, to stories of adjustments as cultures clashed and eventually melded into uneasy truces, the items around you can provide insights into our shared history in North Queensland.

We all have a point of origin

Queensland has two distinct First Nations peoples – the Aboriginal peoples from the mainland and the Torres Strait Islander peoples from the archipelago situated between Cape York Peninsula and Papua New Guinea. For more than 65,000 years, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have been caretakers of this land, and their knowledge systems and traditional beliefs are a key part of Queensland’s identity.

Eddie Koiki Mabo presenting a lecture. © James Cook University.
Go to NQHeritage@JCU to watch Koiki Mabo’s Guest Lecture on the Torres Strait Islander Community delivered in 1982.

Many other North Queenslanders can trace their heritage through waves of migration. British and Irish free settlers and assisted migrants came to Queensland following the convict era. Successive gold rushes brought diverse groups of miners to the state’s North (particularly from China). And the state’s sugar industry saw South Sea Islanders brought in as indentured labourers.

Waves of migration to Australia after WWII saw displaced persons from throughout Europe flee their countries of birth due to war, dislocation and the redrawing of national borders, while immigration in the 1950s and 1960s consisted of those seeking employment and better living conditions. These included migrants from Italy, Greece and Malta. Since the 1970s, Australia has welcomed migrants from all over the world. What are your origins?

Frederic Charles Hall, Chinese teacher and student in a Queensland school for the blind,
Reverend Frederic Charles Hall Photographic Collection, NQ ID 917.
Go to NQHeritage@JCU to read Top Sawyers: the Chinese in Cairns 1870 to 1920 by Cathie May.

The Origins displays

Join us at the Eddie Koiki Mabo Library to explore our Origins displays on the First Floor. There are numerous display cases showing material from the Special Collections that focus on the diverse origins and heritage of North Queenslanders.

See a range of materials including original manuscripts, rare books and artworks which invite exploration into the stories of those who have come before bringing their cultural knowledge systems, values, religions, prejudices, practices, languages, foods and families to North Queensland.

The Origins displays will be on show until mid April, 2026. Members of the public are welcome to view the displays during our serviced hours – check here for current times.

If you'd like to delve further, we have a number of family archives listed on NQHeritage@JCU with fascinating treasures waiting to be discovered.

Australia Day Opening hours

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 07:07:00 +0000

Townsville services
available from 1pm-5pm

Week 1 of Trimester 1, 2026 starts with a public holiday – which is probably the most Australian thing that could happen on Australia Day.

The Library's opening hours for Monday, 26th of January, 2026 are as follows:

The Library Buildings in both Townsville and Cairns will be open from 7.30am-12.00am (midnight)
Staffed services hours vary by library:

Townsville: 1.00pm-5.00pm
Cairns: 11.00am-3.00pm

The Information Commons in Townsville remains open 24 hrs

And remember, you can access our online resources around the clock, and use our contact form to leave a question with us outside of our services hours, and we'll get back to you via email.

Cairns services available from 11am-3pm

Christmas 2025/New Years 2026 Break

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 01:55:00 +0000

Library Closure Over the Christmas/New Year Break

The Library will close at 12 pm on Wednesday, 24 December 2025 and reopen on Friday, 2 January 2026.

Library Services will resume on Monday, 5 January 2026.

Please check our Opening Hours page for updates.

Campus and After-Hours Spaces

JCU campuses, including 24-hour spaces, will be closed during this period. IT will be carrying out maintenance across computer rooms.

Only residential students and essential staff will have access to the university campuses during the break, and only certain buildings. The Library buildings will not be accessible except by staff under arrangement with security.

Returning Library Books

Don’t worry – our system automatically ignores days when we are closed, so your books won’t be due while we’re away.

Why not borrow some holiday reading before we close? We have plenty of fiction and recreational non-fiction available.

Important:
If you’ll be away in January or your contract is ending soon, please return your books before the break. Items in the general collection will renew automatically unless:

Someone requests them, or
Your membership expires.

To avoid fines, return your books before you leave.

Paying Fines

You can pay fines online while the Library is closed.

Getting Help Online

All Library services, including chat, will be closed during the break.
However, you can still:

Search our FAQs via the homepage or LibAnswers
Explore our Library Guides
Submit questions through our Contact Form (we’ll respond when we reopen)

Electronic resources remain available, so you can continue to access ebooks and journal articles through One Search and our databases.

Stay safe and enjoy the break! We look forward to seeing you in 2026.

Textbook Affordability Project, 2024-2025

noreply@blogger.com (Claire Ovaska) — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 21:53:00 +0000

Making education more accessible for JCU students

Why it matters

In 2023, JCU Library estimated that 72 first-year core subjects prescribed textbooks costing students an average of $119 each. For first-year students, that added up to a staggering $2.19 million in potential textbook expenses.

To tackle this challenge, JCU Library launched the HEPPP-funded Textbook Affordability Project (TAP), 2024-2025 - a whole-of-Library initiative designed to work towards a zero-textbook-cost (ZTC) experience for students in first-year core subjects.

What we did

TAP invited collaboration across the university to explore affordable alternatives, including:

· Subject Readings lists
High-quality resources from Library collections and beyond.

· Open educational resources (OERs)
Adoption (using) of existing open publications, or adaptation and creation of new openly licensed etextbooks.

· Library-subscribed etextbooks
Preferably titles with unlimited user licences (where publisher terms allow).

The impact

The impact of TAP is clear. Within the College of Healthcare Sciences (CHS) alone, these interventions have saved students an estimated $645,240 over two years - calculated using a conservative average textbook cost of $120. Beyond the financial benefits, JCU student data reveals a reduction in student failure rates for first-year, semester 1 CHS subjects that adopted TAP solutions. While it’s important to acknowledge that multiple factors may have contributed to these improvements, TAP could have played a meaningful role in driving positive outcomes. At the time of writing, results for semester 2 subjects are still being finalised.

Why it matters for JCU students

By reducing financial stress and improving access to essential learning resources, TAP has transformed the educational experience for JCU first-year students. These changes increase the potential for student academic success and experiencing equity in learning.

Looking ahead

As TAP concludes, JCU Library has embedded textbook affordability practices into its operations, ensuring this work continues as part of our commitment to keeping students at the heart of everything we do.

Collaborate with us

Are you interested in pursuing textbook affordability options for your students? Connect with JCU Library experts and explore your options.

JCU Library's new eTextbook Collections - with unlimited user licences!

noreply@blogger.com (Bec) — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 05:06:00 +0000

🕮 JCU Library is pleased to announce three new ebook collections that are now available to all current JCU staff and students. These collections offer a huge range of multidisciplinary ebooks, eTextbooks, and teaching and learning resources, with unlimited user access – ensuring that students have zero cost and equitable access to learning resources 🥳

📚 Cambridge Aspire eTextbooks

Cambridge Aspire provides access to over 1,400 multidisciplinary online textbooks and includes curated supplementary materials to enhance the learning experience through bonus content and assessment materials.

📚 Wiley eTextbook Collection

The Wiley eTextbook Collection provides unlimited access to market-leading higher education eTextbooks, ensuring that every student has equitable access to essential learning resources from day one. The Wiley eTextbook Collection features the latest editions of the most adopted titles across various disciplines and the top locally published eTextbooks by ANZ authors, including local standards and case studies.

📚 ProQuest Ebooks

ProQuest Ebooks contains over 700,000 high-quality, multidisciplinary scholarly ebooks with unlimited user access. ProQuest Ebooks is continually updated to support a wide range of academic disciplines, emerging subject areas and unique interests.

🎓 We encourage JCU academic staff to select an eTextbook from one of our eTextbook collections, or an OER, for zero cost, unlimited and equitable access for students. JCU Library has Liaison Librarians for all major discipline areas – they can assist you with locating resources, using open educational resources and creating well structured and engaging Reading Lists. Remember to add your Prescribed and Recommended Textbook to your subjects Reading List, or Request a Reading List if you do not yet have one for your subject.

🕮 Contact the Library for more information and support.

“Bring Out Your Dead!”: Announcing the Winners of the 2025 Green Open Access Competition

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 07:04:00 +0000

JCU Library is pleased to announce the 2025 winners of its “Bring Out Your Dead” Green Open Access competition. This competition was first held in 2024 and seeks to increase the number of Open Access documents in JCU’s online institutional repository, ResearchOnline@JCU, making more of the university’s research output freely available to the public.

This year we once again invited researchers to send through the peer-reviewed author accepted manuscript versions of published journal articles that were still locked behind a paywall. We added these manuscripts to existing publication records to bring the articles to life through Open Access. Through the competition, we were able to make another 110 articles free to read for researchers and members of the public. Manuscripts continue to come into the repository even now and we invite researchers to reach out to us about converting their work to Green Open Access at any time. With more than 10,000 restricted articles in ResearchOnline@JCU from the previous decade alone, there’s still plenty of work to be done!

What is Green Open Access?

Open Access is a foundational element of a broader movement in the international research community called Open Knowledge or Open Science. The central premise of Open Knowledge is that the information being produced by government-funded institutions such as universities should be freely available to the public. Open Access seeks to make the outputs of research, including journal articles, books, book chapters and conference papers publicly available to everyone around the world at no cost to readers.

There are many pathways to making publications like journal articles Open Access, but some of these pathways can cost authors and institutions significant sums of money. Historically, publishers have charged a subscription fee to libraries and individuals for access to the journal articles they publish. Gold Open Access involves researchers paying publishers to cover the revenue from subscription fees for an article, which can amount to as much as $17,000 for a single journal article Open Access in some cases.

Green Open Access is different because there is no cost to readers or authors. Rather than paying for the final, published version of an article or book chapter to be made freely available, Green Open Access involves depositing a manuscript of a publication, after it has undergone peer review but before it has been typeset, in a repository like ResearchOnline@JCU. Most publishers allow these manuscripts to be made publicly available for free, usually after an embargo period of 12-24 months has elapsed to allow for subscription sales.

2025 Winners

The winners of the 2025 competition are:

College of Arts, Society and Education: Dr Rosita Henry

College of Business, Law and Governance: Dr Leigh-Ann Onnis

College of Healthcare Sciences: Professor Alison Pighills

College of Medicine and Dentistry: Professor Peter Thomson

College of Science and Engineering: Professor Mohan Jacob

JCU Singapore: Dr Nurhafihz Noor

Dr Rosita Henry, CASE

Prof Peter Thomson, CMD

Dr Leigh-Ann Onnis, CBLG

Prof Alison Pighills, CHS

Prof Mohan Jacob, CSE

From L-R: Jayshree Mamtora,
Manager Scholarly Communications
and Dr Mahmoud Sadat Noori, CSE,
who received a Special Mention

Dr Kim Lim Tan presenting the award to Dr Nurhafihz Noor, JCUS
Online L-R: Scholarly Communications Team:
Jayshree Mamtora, Stephen Anderson, Wayne Bradshaw, Tove Lemberget

3D Printing Service Comes to a Close

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 06:21:00 +0000

JCU Library's 3D printing service ending

Our 3D printing service has reached the end of its life and will wind up at the end of November.

The 3D printing service at the Mabo and Cairns libraries will no longer be available from November 28th 2025.

3D printing is still available at JCU

There are still locations on campus in Townsville and Cairns where you can book 3D printing:

TOWNSVILLE – EIP Building (Print jobs can be completed however Engineering students have precedence)
CAIRNS – Ideas Lab

3D Printing options outside of JCU

Here are some businesses that offer 3D printing services:

Townsville

Townsville City Libraries 3D printing and 3D Scanning
Rising Sun FPV - On demand 3D printing

Cairns

3D Cairns - 3D Printing and 3D Scanning
FNQ 3D Printing - 3D Printing

The Day of the Imprisoned Writer and the Letizia C. De Rosa Archive

noreply@blogger.com (Louise Cottrell) — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 03:55:00 +0000

The freedom of the press is considered a corner stone of democracy and numerous organisations work to protect and defend the lives and rights of journalists the world over, but what about those who aren’t journalists?

What about the poet who uses their art to bring attention to injustice? The cartoonist who drew something a regime did not appreciate? Or the novelist who wrote of things those in power believe should be best left alone?

The written word is a powerful tool and many around the world use it to bring attention to injustice in their communities, but who fights for them?

November 15th is the Day of the Imprisoned Writer, a day created by PEN International “to honor the courage of all writers who stand up against repression and defend freedom of expression and the right to information. On this Day of the Imprisoned Writer, PEN is focusing on five cases – one from each world region and each illustrating the type of repression that is brought to bear every day against those who question, challenge or expose official lies or who paint portraits of everyday lives through their writings.”¹

PEN (standing for Poets, Playwrights, Editors, Essayists and Novelists) was founded in 1921 by writer Catherine Amy Dawson Scott. What started with the aim to create “a common meeting ground for all writers”² morphed into a human rights organisation that aims to protect the rights and lives of literary practitioners around the world operating in 100 countries.

The JCU Library is celebrating its own connection to the PEN organisation with the release of the Letizia C. De Rosa Archive, available through JCU Library Special Collections.

Letizia C. De Rosa. Photographer Andrew Watson, 2005. Image supplied by De Rosa.

The new Letizia C. De Rosa Archive is a tribute to one woman’s journey through North and Far North Queensland – as a teacher, writer, first-generation Australian, and only child of extraordinary migrants who built and owned a guest house for over 50 years in the centre of Cairns.

Themes covered in the archive include the history of Cairns and the NQ Italian community during the 20th century, the Book Creator's Circle (of which Letizia was the Director) and the written works of Letizia C. De Rosa.

The arrangement of the contents has been curated by the donor (Letizia) and is accompanied by a manuscript, 60 Treasured and Blessed Windows, which provides context and explanation of the significance of many of the items through a personal recount.

“Fun in the Sun’ Parade in Cairns. Photographer Mrs Mary Meoli, 1951.

Letizia (a JCU alumna) was presented with the 2012 PEN Sydney Award by the then President, Professor Michael Fraser, at an event at the NSW State Library marking the international Day of the Imprisoned Writer. PEN Sydney, one of three Australian chapters of the global PEN network, was founded in 1931 by Ethel Turner, Mary Gilmore, and Dorothea Mackellar.

The PEN award was given in recognition of Letizia’s social justice values and those of PEN. Then, as a writer-cum-publisher, she learnt of the difficulties in the book industry for regional writers, so she founded the Book Creators Circle – a digital, international platform – which is now archived on the National Library of Australia's Pandora Website.

To see what is held in the Letizia C. DeRosa Archive, access the listing through NQHeritage@JCU (the online repository for JCU Library Special Collections).

To view the Archive make an online booking to visit the Helen Mays Reading Room in the Mabo Library, Townsville or contact Special Collections by sending an email to specialcollections@jcu.edu.au

References

1. PEN American Center. (2008, November 15). November 15, 2008: Day of the Imprisoned Writer.

2. English PEN. (n.d.). The history of English PEN.

Other roads to zero-textbook-costs (ZTC) for JCU students

noreply@blogger.com (Claire Ovaska) — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 04:43:00 +0000

We know that published Open Educational Resources (OERs) aren’t always available for every subject area. While new resources are being released all the time, gaps still exist. So, what are your options if a published OER doesn’t quite fit your needs?

Alternative pathways to Zero-Textbook-Costs (ZTC)

If you're looking to reduce textbook costs for your subject and published OERs aren’t an option, consider these alternatives:

Subject Readings: Curate a selection of top-tier resources from the Library’s collections and freely available online materials.
Library-subscribed etextbooks: Explore what’s already available through the Library, or request a purchase to support your subject.
JCU Open eBooks: Take the lead by authoring (adapting or creating) a new OER tailored to your teaching needs.

Benefits that speak for themselves

Going ZTC with your subject readings isn’t just about saving students money - it’s about flexibility, inclusivity and making learning available to students from day one of their studies.

Need a hand?

Reach out to JCU Library - we’re happy to help you with ZTC options that could work for your subject needs and students.

The Timla Cup: A treasure of the JCU Special Collections

noreply@blogger.com (Louise Cottrell) — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 06:06:00 +0000

Jean Dartnall takes a look at one of the Special Collections' treasures and answers the question 'Why is this item significant?'

The Timla cup is now in the Archives Collection of James Cook University’s Special Collections, as part of the archive of the Townsville Fire Brigade Board.

The Timla cup

This silver cup carries five hall marks which provide information about its origins. H&T is the mark of the firm Hilliard and Thomason; Queen Victoria's head is a 'duty' mark that indicates the assay office had paid its taxes on the precious metals used to make the cup; the lion passant (right forepaw raised) indicates that it meets the English standard for Stirling silver; the anchor hallmark tell us this cup was made in Birmingham, England; and finally the letter 'i' shows that it was made in 1883.¹

Hallmarks on the Timla cup

The cup was donated to be awarded in competitions between the Fire Brigades of Townsville and Charters Towers. It came permanently into the hands of the Townsville Fire Brigade because they won in two consecutive competitions, in 1884 and 1886.

Fire brigade competition, date unknown. North Queensland Photographic Collection NQID22168

The donation was made by the chemists (pharmacists) firm Atkinson & Powell of Townsville and the name Timla is that of a skin medication patented by this firm for treatment of prickly heat. (It may or may not be relevant that ‘Timla’ is one of the common names of the tree Ficus racemosa, traditionally used in many medicinal ways by people throughout Asia.) Whether through the success of this medicine or other aspects of their business, the firm must have been moderately wealthy because in 1886 it was able to call on Mr. Francis Powell’s architect brother Willoughby Powell, to design a substantial building at 181-183 Flinders St. This building is now heritage listed.

The former Atkinson and Powell Building, Flinders Street east, Townsville, 22 November 2017. Image courtesy of CityLibraries Townsville.

Fire Brigade competions are designed to mimic activities that may be required of firemen during emergencies. Practice of these activities spurred by competition, either within or between brigades, is an important way to keep fire fighters in the best possible condition for their important work. Such competitions continue to be held.

The details of the activities required in a particular competition varied and might include such things as

Hose lay, a race against the clock to see which team can connect hoses the fastest.
Hose roll, competitors race each other to roll up a length of hose unfurled in a straight line in front of them from one end to the other.
Ladder climb, competitors race each other for the fastest time to reach the top of a ladder.
Bucket brigade race, where teams of competitors must work together to transfer a set amount of water, such as 25 gallons, from one container to another spilling as little as possible.
Competitors must move a barrel across the opposing team's line using water pressure from a fire hose.

The details of the competitions between Townsville and Charters Towers are not recorded but there is a lively account of the Charters Towers Brigade internal competition in The Northern Miner of 6 June 1985. It records the fine parade, including band, that started the competition, hose, reel and ladder competitions concluding with many cheers and rounds at the Crown Hotel, Charters Towers.

The competitions between Townsville and Charters Towers seem to have been conducted in the same cheerful spirit. The Northern Miner of 27 April 1886 describes the competition that won Townsville the cup in perpetuity. The Charters Towers Mayor was elected as judge while Ex Superintendent Richardson from Townsville was the starter. The statement that ‘the rope over which the water had to be thrown was stretched between the White Horse and Occidental Hotels’ suggests careful staging but is the only record of the events contested.

The Charters Towers Mayor provided a banquet for both brigades at Green’s Royal Hotel, Charters Towers, which concluded with many speeches and toasts.

The Occidental Hotel, Charters Towers, 1890. North Queensland Photographic Collection NQID 11581

References

1. Antiques Trade Gazette: Hallmarks

Author Biography

Jean Dartnall's first tertiary training was in the biological sciences and she had a brief research career working in human cytogenetics. She then retrained as a librarian and spent most of her working life in science related library work. Long-standing interests in history and in music have led to opportunities to research and write in these areas.

OERs in Your Reading List? Yes, Please!

noreply@blogger.com (Claire Ovaska) — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 04:44:00 +0000

Open Educational Resources (OERs) are awesome, but here’s the thing: sometimes the best weekly subject readings might not come from one OER etextbook. They could be a mix of high quality OERs, book chapters, journal articles, webpages, streaming videos - you name it! Some of these resources will be part of JCU Library’s paid collections while others will be freely available online.

This is where the Library’s Readings platform really shines. It’s designed to bring all these different types of content together in one place, making life easier for both staff and students.

Why we love the Readings platform

Consistency: Students get a smooth, consistent experience across subjects, campuses, and study modes.
Quality control: The Library team handles the behind-the-scenes stuff like fixing broken links.
Analytics: You can see how students are engaging with the readings.
Copyright compliance: The platform helps manage copyright so you don’t have to stress about it.

So, if you’re thinking about using a mix of OERs and other content to create a rich learning experience for your students, Readings is the perfect place to share these materials.

Want to explore OERs for your subjects?

Choosing already published OERs is easier than you might think. It’s just like identifying and evaluating a prescribed textbook from an academic publisher.

Start by checking out the JCU Library’s OER Discovery Collections, organised by discipline. You might be surprised by what’s already available! Next check out the Library’s Readings Guide.

Need a hand?

Reach out to JCU Library - we’re happy to help you with Readings and with choosing already published OERs that could work for your subject needs.

Open Access Week Awards 2025 @JCU Library

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 02:15:00 +0000

We are very pleased to announce the winners of the 2025 Open Access Week Awards!

These awards were established in 2020, to celebrate the contribution made by JCU researchers and educators towards Open Access publishing.

The ECR Open Access Champion Award 2025 was awarded to the Early Career Researcher who had made the greatest contribution to Open Access at JCU through their research publications within the last three years. The winners were:

2025 ECR Open Access Champion: Dr Alzayat Saleh, College of Science and Engineering
2025 ECR Green Open Access Champion: Mohammad Jahanbakht, College of Science and Engineering
2025 Highly Commended: Jodie Schlaefer, TropWater

From left to right: winner Alzayat Saleh,
Cathie Rush, Associate Dean Research, College of Medicine and Dentistry
and Bronwyn Mathiesen, Head of Library Services

From left to right: Assoc. Dean Cathie Rush,
winner Mohammad Jahanbakht, and Bronwyn Mathiesen

From left to right:Assoc. Dean Cathie Rush,
highly commended Jodie Schlaefer and Bronwyn Mathiesen

The HDR Open Access Advocate Award (jointly organised with the Graduate Research School) was awarded to the Higher Degree Researcher student who had created the poster that best responds to the question, “Who Owns Our Knowledge?”

2025 Winner: Riley Dimech, JCU Singapore

From left to right: Denise Dillon, Associate Dean Research Education, JCU Singapore,
and Riley Dimech, 2025 winner

2025 Highly Commended 1: Harshani Hettiwattage Dedunu, College of Business, Law and Governance

From left to right: HDR Student Samitha Rajapakhsa receiving the second runner-up award
on behalf of Harshani Dedunu, Bronwyn Mathiesen
and Liz Tynan, Head of Professional Development, GRS

2025 Highly Commended 2: Robin Weber, JCU Singapore

From left to right: Assoc. Dean Denise Dillon
and highly commended Robin Weber

The Open Education Champion Award 2025 is presented to the staff member who, in the opinion of an expert judging panel, has made the greatest contribution to open education at JCU during 2024–2025. The winner was:

2025 Winner: Open Education Champion: Colleen Hodgins, Education Design

The JCU Open eBook Excellence and Impact Award 2025 honours an outstanding open educational resource published in 2023 or 2024 and that significantly enhances the JCU student experience.

2025 Winner: Communication Skills for Health Professionals. Edited and authored by Brock Cook, CHS

From left to right: Mitch Parsell, Deputy Vice Chancellor Education and winner Brock Cook.

From left to right: Jayshree Mamtora (Manager Scholarly Communications),
Liz Tynan, Samitha Rajapaksha, Mohammad Jahanbakht,
Cathie Rush, Jodie Schlaefer, Mitch Parsell,
Bronwyn Mathiesen, Brock Cook and Alzayat Saleh.

Learn more about open access, its many benefits and more about our awards from our Open Access Library Guide.

For more information about the awards, please contact Jayshree Mamtora, Manager, Scholarly Communications jayshree.mamtora@jcu.edu.au

"An Institution of Help and Education"

noreply@blogger.com (JCU Library) — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 02:35:00 +0000

In 2025, James Cook University celebrates its proud legacy in historical research, writing and publishing through the Studies in North Queensland History Collection. In partnership with the JCU College of Arts, Society and Education (CASE), the Library has made available online free digital versions of a selection of diverse works – both published books and unpublished theses all originating from the JCU History Department. To complement this showcase a series of blog posts provides a fresh response to each work through the contemporary lens of a prominent practicing historian.

In today's post, Associate Professor Mary Carroll (Charles Sturt University) writes about "An Institution of Help and Education": The Development of Free Public Library Services in the City of Townsville, 1866-1981, by Richard Sayers, who completed his Honours thesis in 1996 for the JCU Department of History and Politics.

Figure 1. Townsville Municipal Library, staff members, 1950: Marjorie Bunney, Marcia [Mottershead], Dorothy Burrows, Myrtle Low, June Hooker, Meryl Gorman, Mabel C. Classen. Source: CityLibraries Townsville.

Surrounded as most of us are by accessible and vibrant free public libraries, it's hard to imagine the dire state of Australian public libraries in the 1930s. Only major capital cities such as Melbourne and Sydney provided anything resembling a contemporary public library service. Free local municipally supported libraries were scarce or non-existent, and their predecessors, the libraries of the Mechanics' Institutes and Schools of Arts, while more numerous, had fallen out of favour and were considered outdated and moribund. Into this environment stepped library experts Ralph Munn and Ernst Pitt, whose report Australian Libraries: A Survey of Conditions and Suggestions for Their Improvement (1935) was to galvanize public library development in Australia.

Travelling throughout Australia, Munn and Pitt were scathing in their assessments of the country's libraries, including those in Queensland, infamously advising 'anyone wishing to carry away a favourable impression of the Public Library of Queensland should never make the mistake of entering it' (1935, p.61). Other Queensland libraries fared little better with their report noting that 'there is no municipal library of any kind' in the State (1935, p.66). The report had a far-reaching effect on attitudes towards the provision of free public library services to local communities in Australia. It is against this backdrop that, in 1938, Townsville was to establish Queensland's first free public library.

Figure 2. Townsville City Library, 1950: Meryl Gorman, Mabel C. Classen. Source: CityLibraries Townsville.

Richard Sayers' thesis "An Institution of Help and Education": The Development of Free Public Library Services in the City of Townsville, 1866-1981 is available online at JCU Library. It sets out to tell the story of this institution from its origins as part of the early Schools of Arts' Movement in the 1860s until its transformation into a modern municipal library the 1980s. In the thesis, Sayers aims to identify critical moments in the library's development and highlight the significance of its achievements. The thesis, however, gives us more than a dry chronological account as, in telling the story of this one Townsville institution, he also gives us insight into the values, priorities and politics of a particular community over time, which contributes to our wider understanding of post-colonisation Australia.

In his thesis, Sayers also reflects on the significance of the Townsville library within the wider discourse about the provision of free public libraries. In so doing he provides something which unfortunately is too rare—an insight into the significance, impact and value of libraries on communities, not just in Townsville but nationally. This, as Sayers notes, is rare because:

libraries have not been the focus of detailed historical research. Consequently, there exists little public understanding of the historical development of Australia's public libraries. (p.3)

This, unfortunately, remains the case today, so a history like this continues to make a valuable contribution in shoring a gap in our history.

Figure 3. Townsville Municipal Library, interior, 1950: Myrtle Low and June Hooker Source: CityLibraries Townsville.

Incidentally, though unavoidably, the thesis also brings into focus the contrast between a predominantly male cohort of politicians, administrators and powerbrokers and the women employed to manage the library (see Figures 1-3). Rarely do we hear the story of women librarians, but this thesis is rich with interviews and reflections on the women who were to shape and lead the Townsville library service throughout its history.

These women included Mrs Mabel Classen (pictured in Figures 1 and 2) alongside other members of her staff. Her story, and her 43-year tenure at the library and its predecessor, is one worth contemplating. As Sayers outlines in his notes, Classen was employed in August 1921 as Secretary Librarian of the Townsville School of Arts, later going on to manage the Townsville public library at its establishment in 1938, working there until her retirement in March 1964. Sayers particularly notes her role in mentoring the young women who worked at the library and in advocating the need for professionally qualified staff for the library against some resistance from council (p.62).

Classen was to be followed by other women librarians who continued to lead the library throughout the twentieth century. They instigated change and innovation during their tenures including partnerships with schools and expansion of the library—including the establishment of a children's library (see Figures 4 and 5), which Sayers concludes had, by the 1960s, 'become an integral part of the city's cultural, educational and recreational infrastructure' (p.77). Sayers' history therefore provides a glimpse of a much wider story: that of women and work in Australia.

Figure 4. Charging desk after the opening of the Townsville Children's Library, 1953. Source: CityLibraries Townsville.

Like other library historians, Sayers spends some time reflecting also on why the histories of libraries, such as found in this thesis, are of interest and relevant to broader historical studies, and why these stories are worth telling. To paraphrase and summarise his reflection: he concludes that access to a free public library by the community has never been a neutral or passive objective. Advocating for free public libraries is values laden, variously linked in Australia to ambitions for an egalitarian society, universal education and democracy through an informed citizenry—or alternatively considered Trojan horses for the transfer of conservative cultural values and colonisation (pp.38-41). Sayers also notes the valorisation of the library building, rather than its people in historical works stating that:

It is common for libraries to be defined by their physical circumstances, much like

museums, art galleries or even churches. This is unfortunate as libraries are actually the products of their collections and those whom they exist to serve. The net worth of an individual library cannot be gauged simply from its building. (p.6)

Figure 5. Opening of Childrens [sic] Library. Source: CityLibraries Townsville.

Within this framing of public library history Sayers' thesis presents an opportunity for us to re-examine and reflect on the idea of the free public library and consider the place of these libraries in Australian communities and in shaping Australian society.

Rethinking the Textbook? No Problem! Finding OERs Made Easy

noreply@blogger.com (Claire Ovaska) — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 02:53:00 +0000

Let’s be honest – students just aren’t buying their expensive prescribed textbooks! If you’ve ever thought “There has to be a better way,” you’re not alone. That’s where Open Educational Resources (OERs) come in. They’re free, adaptable, and often just as good (if not better) than traditional textbooks.

Start by exploring

OER Discovery Collections - JCU Library-curated OERs organised by discipline
OASIS - Simultaneously searches over 117 repositories for OER (textbooks, course materials, simulations and more).
OpenStax - High-quality, peer-reviewed textbooks that are ready to go. Great for foundational subjects like biology, physics, and economics.
Pressbooks Directory - A growing collection of open textbooks and other educational content created using the Pressbooks platform. Many are interactive and customisable - perfect for tailoring to your subject needs.
Open Textbook Library - If you’re looking for full textbooks, this is a great place to start. Bonus: many are reviewed by faculty!
Check out our OER Guide for more great repositories!

Tips for finding the good stuff

Think modular - You may not need a whole textbook. Sometimes a single chapter or activity is all you need.
Evaluate, evaluate, evaluate:

Just like you’d double-check any other resource before using it, check OERs to see if they meet your needs.
Look for reviews or ratings - sites like Open Textbook Library often include peer feedback.
Check the licence - Make sure it’s open and allows reuse or adaptation.

Benefits that speak for themselves

Switching to OERs isn’t just about saving students money - it’s about flexibility, inclusivity, and opening learning to more people. And remember: you decide what goes into your subject - OERs are just one more flexible option at your fingertips.

Want to explore OERs for your subjects?

Choosing already published OERs is easier than you might think. It’s just like identifying and evaluating a prescribed textbook from an academic publisher.

Start by checking out the JCU Library’s OER Discovery Collections, organised by discipline. You might be surprised by what’s already available!

Need a hand?

Reach out to JCU Library - we’re happy to help you locate already published OERs that could work for your subject needs.

OERs: Not Just Free - They’re High Quality Too

noreply@blogger.com (Claire Ovaska) — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 02:10:00 +0000

We get it - switching from familiar academic publishers to Open Educational Resources (OERs) can feel a bit strange at first. After all, you want your students to have access to the best possible learning materials. But here’s the good news: there’s a growing body of research showing that OERs aren’t just free - they’re high quality and can actually boost student learning outcomes (Cozart et al., 2020; Tlili et al., 2023).

Still wondering about quality? Here are a few points to keep in mind:

Academic experts write OER textbooks – just like they do for commercial publishers.
OER publishers like JCU Open eBooks have solid editorial and peer review processes to ensure quality.
Many OER repositories let academics leave public reviews, so you can see what others think before you adopt.

Benefits that speak for themselves

OERs aren’t just free - they’re created by experts in the field, held to rigorous publishing standards, and are often peer-reviewed. Choosing published OERs means you can rely on solid, credible content while still having the freedom to adapt materials to suit your teaching style and your students’ needs.

Want to explore OERs for your subjects?

Choosing already published OERs is easier than you might think. It’s just like identifying and evaluating a prescribed textbook from an academic publisher.

Start by checking out the JCU Library’s OER Discovery Collections, organised by discipline. You might be surprised by what’s already available!

Need a hand?

Reach out to JCU Library - we’re happy to help you locate already published OERs that could work for your subject needs.

New Ebook Release: Business Research Approaches

noreply@blogger.com (JCU Library) — Tue, 14 Oct 2025 04:51:00 +0000

JCU Library staff are proud to announce the release of Business Research Approaches by JCU academic authors Dr Leonie Cassidy and Dr Josephine Pryce.

Written specifically for the Australian context, this peer reviewed, open text covers research methods, ways to analyse data and ethical decisions for researchers.

It guides students through critical thinking, ethics, research ideas, aims, objectives, and a variety of other criteria required for successful business research.

This ebook promotes equitable access to business education by providing students with a zero-cost, high quality textbook alternative. This comprehensive, multi-disciplinary resource:

Replaces the need for a commercial first-year business textbook
Saves approximately 450 students $120 each
Offers potential student savings of $55080 in 2025 alone.

Business Research Approaches is now available from the JCU Open eBooks website.

The development of this resource was facilitated by the JCU Open Educational Resources Program

The JCU Open Educational Resources Program is a project in the Education Division, spearheaded by JCU Library. The aim of the project is two-fold:

To support lecturers in adopting, adapting and creating Open Educational Resources including textbooks in order to better support the learning of our students at JCU.
To provide a digital-first and place-based learning resource that provides an equivalent experience for all JCU students regardless of attendance mode and location.

Open Access Week 2025 (October 20-26)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 13 Oct 2025 03:50:00 +0000

What is Open Access Week?

Open Access Week is an important annual event that highlights the value of making research, data, and educational resources freely accessible to everyone.

This year's theme, "Who Owns Our Knowledge?" explores how communities can reclaim control over knowledge in times of disruption while questioning who creates it, accesses it, and values it education and research.

JCU Library OA initiatives

JCU Library helps promote and enable Open Access to research and education for our university community all year around! Open Access Week is a chance to acknowledge the great work being done, both nationally and internationally.

Open Access Week Awards 2025

Since their inception in 2020, the Open Access Week awards have grown into a wonderful event which acknowledges the hard work of Open Access advocates in the JCU community. In 2025, we are presenting four awards across a variety of categories:

ECR Open Access Champion Award 2025 – will be awarded to the JCU ECR who has made the greatest contribution to Open Access through their research publications within the previous three to four years.
HDR Open Access Advocate Award 2025 – will be awarded to the HDR candidate who produces a poster which is a pleasing and persuasive combination of text and visual imagery that offers strong advocacy for the benefits of Open Access publication.
Open Education Champion Award 2025 – will be presented to the staff member who has made the greatest contribution to open education at JCU during 2024-2025.
JCU Open eBook Excellence and Impact Award 2025 – honors an outstanding open educational resource published in 2023 or 2024 that significantly enhances the JCU student experience.

To learn more about the judging panel, awards, and prizes see our web page for more information.

Open Access Week Panel Session: Open Access and Copyright in the age of AI

Join us online for a panel session exploring how generative technologies are reshaping our understanding of creativity, ownership, and access to knowledge. From the ethics of AI training on copyrighted works to the future of open scholarship, our speakers will probe whether existing frameworks can survive the rapid evolution of machine authorship. This discussion invites scholars, artists, and technologists alike to imagine what intellectual property, and intellectual freedom, might mean in the AI era.

Thursday, 23 October, 2:00pm (AEST, Brisbane) - Open Access Week Panel Session: Open Access and Copyright in the age of AI. Register here.

Bring Out Your Dead! Retroactive Green Open Access Project 2025

The ResearchOnline@JCU repository is an online archive for the collection, preservation, and dissemination of JCU research. In an effort to increase the visibility and accessibility of the University’s research outputs, we invited researchers to participate in our Retroactive Green Open Access Initiative. The initiative encourages authors to deposit the author accepted manuscript, that is the final version of their accepted paper without publisher formatting, into our repository when the published version is not freely available. This is called “green” Open Access publishing and is in accordance with the University’s Open Scholarship Policy. If you would like to participate, please contact our team.

JCU Open eBooks

In the spirit of Open Access, learning and teaching resources created under the same overarching principles of free access are facilitated by our Open Education team. JCU Library is using Open Educational Resources (OERs) to widen participation and break down financial barriers which may impede access to high-quality learning materials.

Since 2021, JCU Library has assisted in the creation and publication of 32 open ebooks, with many more in production. These resources can be found on the JCU Open eBook platform. For a selection of open ebooks curated by librarians see our discovery collection.

Key Open Access Australasia webinars to attend during Open Access Week:

Do you want to learn more about Open Access from practitioners in the field? Open Access Australasia is running three webinars during Open Access Week, which are free for anyone to register and view online.

Tuesday 21 October, 9am AEST (Brisbane) – The politics of knowledge: Who controls the story and who has access to it? Register here.
Wednesday 22 October, 12pm AEST (Brisbane) – Community ownership: Relation, reciprocity and responsibility. Register here.
Thursday 23 October, 12pm AEST (Brisbane) – Vive la révolution! Taking our knowledge back.* Register here. *Featuring JCU staff – Jayshree Mamtora, Tove Lemberget, and Wayne Bradshaw.

Any questions?

If you have questions about Open Access? Please contact the library or read more about it on our Open Access Publishing guide.