Textbook Heroes


Open Language Resource Center

Jon Perkins, Keah Cunningham, and Katie Ashley
Jonathan Perkins, Keah Cunningham, and Katie Ashley

OER Advocacy:

The Open Language Resource Center (OLRC) is one of sixteen federally-funded National Foreign Language Resource Centers working to increase the nation’s capacity to teach and learn foreign languages. Textbook Heroes recognizes three OLRC employees Jonathan Perkins, director of the OLRC; Keah Cunningham, assistant director of the OLRC; and Katie Ashley, education program coordinator. Perkins, Cunningham, and Ashley were recognized for their direct support of language Open Educational Resources at KU and their advocacy and impact beyond KU as national leaders of languages OER, such as through conferences held in 2021 and 2022

OER Impact:

“The OLRC provides extensive expertise in partnership with language faculty to produce high-quality, effective, and engaging language OER. Beyond this local advocacy and support, the national profile of the OLRC contributes substantially to KU’s prominence in the Open Education landscape. It’s our honor to recognize them for their great work.” - Josh Bolick, head of Scholarly Communications & Copyright at the KU Libraries.