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FACT2

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The feature article in EducauseQuarterly (Vol. 34 No. 3) describes FACT (Faculty Access to Computing Technology) and its evolution to FACT2 (Faculty Advisory Council on Teaching and Technology). In addition, the council's working group on electronic publishing and e.textbooks is discussed.

The E-Pub Task Group is geared "to better understand how to best leverage the emergence of digital publishing and open learning, potentially leading to greater purchasing efficiency and digital textbook adoption." The group has significant representation from around the SUNY library world and is chaired by Mary Jo Orzech, Brockport Library Director.

E-Pub Task Group goals include:

• "Collect information on e-publishing models and practices used in SUNY and other higher education systems;
• Advise the SUNY Office of Library and Information Services (OLIS) on e-publishing trends and develop policy recommendations to inform business decision-making about content;
• Communicate with stakeholders throughout the system about best practices regarding e-publishing, content creation, digital rights management, and so on."

FACT2 and the E-Pub Task Group are sponsoring a conference on November 4, 2011 in Syracuse. "New concepts in teaching and learning: E-texts, open educational resources and more -- This one day event will examine the impact of adoption and use of e-books, e-textbooks, e-book readers and open learning environments both within and outside SUNY. Exploration of open educational resources and tools can provide additional value, create more collaborative teaching tools, and provide a more flexible learning environment for both teaching and student learning. Adopting these new technologies presents a number of questions related to policy, best practices, and feasibility. This event will provide a forum to discuss these issues system-wide and provide recommendations on best practices and policy."