Forty Iowa colleges and universities have combined for a joint membership with the Open Textbook Network, a consortium of colleges and universities working to advance open textbook initiatives, the Iowa Board of Regents announced. OTN, which has 120 members encompassing more than 1,100 campuses, provides institutions access to a repository of training materials and national experts to assist in identifying high-quality, free alternatives to traditional textbooks. The partnership will also provide access to future training and faculty development opportunities to expand the use of open education resources in Iowa. “The cost of books and supplies can be a roadblock to higher education, particularly for community college students,” said Iowa Department of Education Director Ann Lebo. “Access to free, high-quality teaching, learning and research resources will open doors for more students to access and complete the education and training needed for in-demand careers.” Before this expanded partnership, the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, the University of Northern Iowa and St. Ambrose University in Davenport were already individual members of the OTN. The expanded partnership is due in great part to the efforts of the Iowa Open Educational Resources Action Team. For more information about Iowa OER, visit its website or contact Abbey Elder, Open Access and Scholarly Communications librarian, Iowa State University, at aelder@iastate.edu.