Linn-Benton Community College

LBCC Librarian Richenda Hawkins. This year, the college dedicated $50,000 in Strategic Initiative funds to help pay for faculty work needed to adopt more affordable textbook options, with another $50k for next year. Librarian Richenda Hawkins shared that campus-wide more than 40 faculty representing every division have adopted Open Educational Resources (OERs) and 20 faculty have replaced textbooks with library resources. More than 60 classes have been converted from traditional textbooks to OERs or library resources, such as ebooks from the college's subscription to the Ebrary and EBSCO ebook databases. An added benefit for students receiving financial aid is the students have access to textbooks on day one, rather than having to wait for a financial aid award. Library staff applied for an Open Educational Resources Degree Initiative grant for $300,000. If awarded, the funds will be used to help with the short-term goal of saving students $500,000 by the fall of 2017 and the

The LBCC Small Business Management Program for small business owners will be held beginning October 10. The SBM program includes classroom learning sessions, one-on-one confidential meetings with a SBM coach, and an informal support group of other SBM business owners, focusing on tools and techniques that have been proven to help businesses streamline and grow. SBM is a nine-month program that meets the second Thursday of each month, from 1 to 4 p.m., October through June. The first class will be held Oct. 10 at Linn-Benton Community College, Calapooia Center room CC-213, 6500 Pacific Blvd. SW, Albany. Cost is $695. Led by Marc Manley, co-director of the LBCC Small Business Development Center. Manley has significant experience in running businesses small and large, and has advised more than 50 local businesses, providing guidance that has produced results including raising more than $1 million in new capital, increasing sales by more than $2 million, and creating 49 new jobs. 
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