PALSave Textbook Creation Grant program releases “The Exciting Dynamics of State and Local Government”

INDIANAPOLIS—The Private Academic Library Network of Indiana (PALNI) is pleased to announce the release of “The Exciting Dynamics of State and Local Government,” edited by Laura Merrifield Wilson and Greg Shufeldt, Associate Professors of Political Science at the University of Indianapolis. 

Project Manager Julian Cabiya, Digital Scholarship Associate at Butler University, also supported the book’s creation.

This open textbook, made possible through a Textbook Creation Grant from the PALSave: PALNI Affordable Learning program, brings state and local politics to life through case studies and comparative analysis.

About the Book

This engaging resource offers students a comprehensive introduction to the structures, functions, and behaviors of state and local governments in the United States. By combining broad foundational content with detailed case studies and state-by-state comparisons, Merrifield Wilson, Shufeldt, and contributors Chad J. Kinsella, Nicholas LaRowe, Michael Wolf, and Rhonda Wrzenski guide readers in examining how federalism, political institutions, and civic participation intersect at the state and local levels.

“State and local governments play a vital role in Americans' lives, yet it is often overshadowed by national news. Having a text that helps students easily understand concepts and apply them to current issues makes localized government more relatable and meaningful,” says Merrifield Wilson. “PALNI was an incredible partner and resource making this process smooth and the project possible. Open educational resources make high quality academic materials easily accessible for students and faculty and we are grateful we could help contribute to those resources.”

“In these polarizing times, we believe it is important to make information available to students at no cost so they can build their knowledge base and develop civic skills to make meaningful change in their communities,” says Shufeldt. “Additionally, we could not have completed this work without Julian Cabiya, whose countless hours were vital in making the project stronger. I would strongly encourage colleagues in any discipline to apply for the textbook creation grant program—everyone we worked with at PALNI was supportive and helpful from the early stages through the finishing touches." 

Collaborating with PALNI

The authors received a PALSave Textbook Creation Grant for the project in 2023. 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. Each grant provides a maximum of $6,500 per project or $5,000 per author. Currently, there are 14 grant-funded titles published or in production through PALNI.

“The PALSave team is excited to see ‘The Exciting Dynamics of State and Local Government’ join the growing collection of PALSave-supported open textbooks,” says Amanda Hurford, PALNI Scholarly Communications Director and PALSave program lead. “These authors have created a resource that not only supports student learning, but also increases access to affordable course materials for use across PALNI and beyond.”

“The Exciting Dynamics of State and Local Government,” edited by Laura Merrifield Wilson and Greg Shufeldt, is available for free through the PALNI Open 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

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. Projects are selected 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 Open Press-supported Pressbooks platform alongside other faculty-contributed works and are ultimately submitted to the Open Textbook Library and OER repositories. Visit the PALSave website to learn more: palni.org/palsave. 

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 containing costs. Simultaneously, PALNI is expanding collaboration within its institutions and with external library partners to address challenges and build cost-effective services. Visit www.palni.org 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