Submitting Campus
Daytona Beach
Department
Staff Works - Hunt Library
Document Type
Article
Publication/Presentation Date
Winter 2026
Abstract/Description
Evaluating no- or low-cost course materials is a key concern for those supporting affordable learning initiatives. This article will review the current needs of researchers in no- or low-cost course material, the methods currently available to guide them, and a new method I have designed to specifically address needs that current methods cannot. This method, ALPACAS (Apt, License, Provenance, Accurate, Currency, Authority, and Sources), combines insights from several other well-known methods to assist librarians, course designers, and instructors in finding appropriate no- or low-cost course materials. For each item in ALPACAS, I will break down why it is important and how I have used it in my consultations with faculty members seeking to make their courses more affordable for students.
Publication Title
Library Insights
Publisher
Northeast Florida Library Information Network
Scholarly Commons Citation
Leonard, H. (2026). ALPACAS: An evaluation methodology for no- or low-cost course materials. Library Insights, 1(3). Retrieved from https://commons.erau.edu/publication/2457
