GREENCASTLE and INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA—Faculty members from DePauw and Marian universities have released a new peer-reviewed open textbook through the Private Academic Library Network of Indiana (PALNI).
In “An Open Guide to Data Structures and Algorithms,” authors Paul Bible, Assistant Professor of Computer Science at DePauw, and Lucas Moser, Adjunct Professor of Computer Science at Marian, provide students with an introduction to the theoretical concepts underpinning this dynamic and growing field.
The book was published with a Textbook Creation Grant from the PALSave: PALNI Affordable Learning program, and as an open educational resource—OER—it is entirely free to students.
About the Book
In an era where technology continues to rapidly shape the future, understanding the intricate field of computer science has never been more critical. “An Open Guide to Data Structures and Algorithms,” a comprehensive textbook designed for undergraduates, offers an introduction to the complex realm of algorithms and data structures while also providing insight into practical implementations.
Computer science serves as the backbone for essential technologies in science, engineering, communication, and beyond, shaping the fabric of our society. As the demand for careers in these industries continue to soar, publications like “An Open Guide to Data Structures and Algorithms” stand out as invaluable resources for preparing the next generation of technological professionals.
According to the book description, “Mastery of the science behind computer science relies on an understanding of the theory of algorithms and data structures. These concepts underlie the fundamental tradeoffs that dictate performance in terms of speed, memory usage, and programming complexity that separate novice programmers from professional practitioners.”
PALSave Textbook Creation Grants
Bible and Moser received a PALSave Textbook Creation Grant for the project in 2021. Offered to faculty from PALNI-supported institutions, the grant allows educators to develop open textbooks that are freely available online, making them part of a nationwide effort to reduce the cost of course materials for college students. Financed with support from Lilly Endowment Inc., each grant provides a maximum of $6,500 per project or $5,000 per author. Currently, there are 15 grant-funded titles published or in production through PALNI.
“We are so pleased to celebrate Paul Bible and Lucas Moser for their publication and for sharing their insight and expertise in a way that is accessible to students,” says Amanda Hurford, PALNI Scholarly Communications Director and PALSave program lead. “By removing the financial burden of traditional textbooks and making high-quality learning materials freely available, open textbooks empower students to focus on learning, not on how to pay for their education. PALNI is grateful to these authors, and to our funding organization, Lilly Endowment, for enabling us to support them in the textbook creation process.”
Project Manager Edward Mandity, Assistant Director, Information and Instructional Technology Librarian at Marian University, and PALNI Publishing Project Coordinator Heather Myers also supported the creation of the book.
“An Open Guide to Data Structures and Algorithms” is available for free through the PALNI Press.
Visit PALSave: PALNI Affordable Learning online to learn more about Textbook Creation Grants and other OER opportunities offered through PALNI.
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About the PALSave Textbook Creation Grant Program
With support from Lilly Endowment Inc., PALNI’s PALSave Textbook Creation Grant Program awards funding to faculty members from PALNI-supported institutions to create open textbooks.
Faculty are periodically invited to submit creation grant proposals for the courses they teach. Textbooks may cover any discipline at the undergraduate or postgraduate level. PALNI seeks proposals for textbooks geared toward specific fields of study that meet the inclusion criteria for the Open Textbook Library.
The PALNI Open Educational Resource (OER) Publishing Task Force selects projects for funding based on proposal quality, clearly defined goals, need within the current open access body of work, and adoption potential within PALNI schools and beyond.
PALNI coordinates peer review, copyediting, layout, and hosting services to assist grant recipients in their textbook creation. Each textbook is also supported by a local project manager to monitor progress and answer questions throughout development. The open textbooks are published on the PALNI Press-supported Pressbooks platform alongside other faculty-contributed works and are ultimately submitted to the Open Textbook Library and OER repositories.
About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based, private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by three members of the Lilly family — J.K. Lilly Sr. and sons J.K. Jr. and Eli — through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, the Endowment is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion and maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana. More information can be found at www.lillyendowment.org.
About the Private Academic Library Network of Indiana
The Private Academic Library Network of Indiana (PALNI) is a non-profit organization that supports collaboration for library and information services for 24 colleges, universities and seminaries throughout the state. From its inception in 1992, the PALNI collaboration has been a key avenue for its supported institutions to contain costs while providing more effective library services. More recently, PALNI has adopted a model of deep collaboration that pools resources and people as a tool to expand services while keeping costs down. PALNI’s board of directors, composed of all 24 library deans and directors from the supported organizations, convened a Future Framing Task Force in 2019 to address ongoing demographic challenges in higher education. The board has escalated this work in the wake of COVID-19, as the consortium seeks to manage the increased need for online support while reducing costs. Simultaneously, PALNI is expanding collaboration within its institutions and with external library partners to address challenges and build cost-effective services. Visit the PALNI website for more information.
PALNI Supported Institutions
Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary | Anderson University | Bethel University | Butler University | Concordia Theological Seminary | Christian Theological Seminary | DePauw University | Earlham College | Franklin College | Goshen College | Grace College | Hanover College | Huntington University | Manchester University | Marian University | Oakland City University | University of Saint Francis | Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College | Saint Mary’s College | Saint Meinrad’s Seminary and School of Theology | Taylor University | Trine University | University of Indianapolis | Wabash College