Graduating with any type and level of degree is a feat in itself. But Elise LeMonnier, a College of Fine Arts graduate who majored in Honors Art History and English and minored in Arts Technology, has published a book while working at the Marriott Library. She also has won the Outstanding Seniors Award from the College of Fine Arts.

The book that Elise and her co-worker Emma Day, (also a student employee at the library) is entitled Open Minds, Open Resources: The Student Perspective. It was published through the Utah Education Network Pressbooks Initiative as an Open Educational Resource (OER). This means that the book is published online and is accessible to anyone, with no cost involved.

“Elise took the student position in the library not knowing anything about OERs or open education. Yet, that did not slow her down in learning everything she could about OERs, Pressbooks and about student perspectives on rising textbook costs, explains Elise’s supervisor, Donna Ziegenfuss, teaching, research and outreach librarian. “She made invaluable contributions to building OER awareness and designing a plan to help the Marriott Library move further next year. I have learned a lot from Elise and can’t wait to hear about the successes of her future projects.”

Q and A with Elise LeMonnier

Q: What was it like to work on the book Open Minds, Open Resources: The Student Perspective?

A: It was incredibly rewarding. Not only was I able to collaborate with my amazing coworker and friend, Emma Day, but it also felt like we were on the frontlines of so many different debates in higher academia. All of our voices are so important right now!

Q: Did you find the research relevant to your own studies as an undergraduate student?

A: Absolutely! This project was interesting because we came at it from the perspective of students, but also from an external perspective, trying to help students. After working on the book, I was way more open to exploring different and innovative research resources that I did not know about before.

Q: Do you see potential for OERs to grow in the academic environment over time?

A: I really hope OERs can grow in an academic context. It is just a matter of finding what aspect of OER students and faculty resonate with the most. While OERs are a great resource for learning and affordability, they are also super foreign to a lot of people. Free and remixable textbooks? What? I think slowly easing the community in, either through Canvas integration/H5P or just sharing our experiences, will prove successful in the long run.

Q: What are your opinions around scholarly publishing and the advent of OERs?

A: I love OERs as an undergraduate researcher because they are a beginner-friendly and accessible way to get published! It was such a great feeling to hit publish on the Open Minds, Open Resources book, and know I was a published undergraduate! I encourage everyone to start publishing their work in OER form, especially since they are forever alterable. If you do eventually get something published in an official journal, you can always take down your OER publication. Just start writing!

Q: What are your plans post-graduation?

A: My post-graduation plans are to take a nice, long break. I will be applying to graduate and PhD programs in art history, traveling, and planting a garden.

Q: What was your favorite part of working in the library?

A: My favorite part of working in the library was the people. Donna Ziegenfuss, Alfred Mowdood, and Emma Day have all been such big supporters of my work, my thesis, and just my life! It was the perfect environment to wrap up my time at the University of Utah. I learned so much about the politics of higher education, myself as a student and researcher, and all of the ways I can help my peers.

Q: Any final thoughts you would like to share?

A: The push for Open Education and the implementation of affordable and accessible resources needs to start with students. Educators really want to help their students, but we need to tell them what we want and need. We need to take a more active role in shaping the education that we are paying for. Speak up!