Foreword

The design, layout, methodology, and instructional practices laid out in Libro Libre, Beginning Spanish were so appealing to us as we were exploring low-cost or free textbooks for our French courses at Spokane Community College (SCC) and Green River College (GRC). Aside from being an excellent resource, the Spanish version textbook was completely free for students as an Open Educational Resource (OER) published under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license.

As we looked for an equivalent textbook in French (separately, at first)—a workbook style, communication-oriented textbook with opportunities for exchange of information and task-based activities—neither of us found exactly what we were looking for in the host of other Open Educational Resources for French language available at the time.

I (Diamond) asked Erin Huebener, the author of Libro Libre, for a meeting to discuss adapting her textbook for use in the French classroom. During that time, she informed me regarding her recent research and conference work, the purpose behind the changes she had made to the second edition, and the dollar amount that students had saved by having access to an Open Educational Resource instead of having to buy a traditional textbook. I was astounded.

Not only was this book the best compilation of activities and instruction I had used, but it was saving tens of thousands of dollars every academic year. I decided in her office that I had to adapt Libro Libre for French. She graciously encouraged me to plod along in the trail she had forged in creating OERs and, soon after, introduced me to faculty at Green River where Lisa and I connected.

I (Lisa) was overjoyed to learn that this project was underway. After hearing Erin present on Libro Libre at a conference, I spoke with her to express my interest in adapting it for French. She told me I was in luck because her colleague, Diamond, was already working on it. We connected, and Livre Libre was born.

An enormous amount of gratitude is due to Erin Huebener for paving the way in this endeavor, to Gwendolyn Cash-James, our Dean of Arts and Sciences at SCC for backing this project and the French program, and for the administrators at SCC who agreed to fund this project. A special thanks to Megan Evans and Matt Swenson from the GRC Foundation and who have supported this project to continue developing the curriculum, as well as a shout out to Jamie Fitzgerald, Dean of Humanities & English at GRC. To Lori Pritchert-Johnson in Disability Access Services, we are so appreciative of your commitment to UDL and for your vision and support with the audio edition. Thank you all!