Need help?

How do I cite an open textbook?

Textbooks published by BCcampus will include citation and copyright information on the first page of the web book. Scroll down, past the Table of Contents, to the Metadata section. There, you’ll find the information you need to create a citation. Most books include a sample citation in APA style, which you can adapt to other styles as needed.

For more information on how to cite or reference an open textbook, see Textbook Citation in the Self-Publishing Guide.

Do I need permission to use material (text, image, video, etc.) from BCcampus Open Education textbooks and resources?

You do not need permission to use openly licensed materials; however, you may be required to provide attribution. Check the Metadata section on each web book’s home page to see the terms of the Creative Commons licence related to that book. Most textbooks in the B.C. Open Textbook Collection published by BCcampus also have a suggested attribution statement in the License section.

If you’d like to use images from textbooks in the collection, be sure to check the caption of each image and any attribution statements at the bottom of the page for additional licensing conditions that may apply. Images within a textbook are sometimes covered by a different CC licence than the textbook in which they are used. If no additional licensing conditions are indicated, then the images may be reused as per the terms of the CC BY 4.0 licence that applies to the textbook.

How do I order a print copy of an open textbook?

To order a print copy of an open textbook, find the book in the collection and select “Buy a print copy.”

For assistance, contact SFU Document Solutions at docsol@sfu.ca or 778-782-4160 (Monday to Friday, 9am – 4pm Pacific Time).

What is an open licence?

An open licence, or open-copyright licence, grants permission to access, retain, reuse, redistribute, and build upon (remix and revise) a work with few or no restrictions. For more information, see Copyright and Open Licences in the Self-Publishing Guide.

How do I create or self-publish an open textbook?

You can find information about how to create and self-publish an open textbook in the BCcampus Self-Publishing Guide.  This guide provides details on the preparation, planning, writing, publication, and maintenance of an open textbook.

Answer Guide / Knowledge Base

Check out our Answer Guide for more information on these and other open education topics:

Still have questions? Contact us!