Digital library
Textbooks, references and open learning resources.
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Biochemistry: Free For All
Kevin Ahern; Indira Rajagopal; Taralyn Tan · Oregon State University · 2018
We are happy to welcome you to our second Open Educational Resource (OER) textbook, Biochemistry Free For All. Biochemistry is a relatively young science, but its rate of growth has been truly impressive. The rapid pace of discoveries, which shows no sign of slowing, is reflected in the steady increase in the size of biochemistry textbooks. Growing faster than the size of biochemistry books have been the skyrocketing costs of higher education and the even faster rising costs of college textbooks. These unfortunate realities have created a situation where the costs of going to college are beyond the means of increasing numbers of students.
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Entomology 311 Lab Manual
Melissa Scherr; Daniel Adams; Baylee Bullock · Oregon State University · 2019
Labs in this book supplement the information gained in lecture, as well as providing some perspective and experience with hands-on applications of ideas in pest management. The labs are presented in week-by-week order, so the pre-labs and reading for week 1 are labeled “Pre-Lab 1” and “Week 1 Reading”. Pre-Labs are assignments to be done before lab meets, and will be due at the beginning of Lab. Complete the labs using your textbook, web resources, or the reading assigned for the week. Readings are short 1-3 page “chapters” covering background topics pertinent to the upcoming lab, particular groups of insects/arthropods, or methods used in Pest Management. This should be read before coming to Lab each week. Lab Assignments need to be printed and brought to class so that they can be completed as a group in Lab. It is sometimes helpful to read through the assignment ahead of time to get an idea of the subject matter for the week.
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Explorations: An Open Invitation To Biological Anthropology
Beth Shook; Katie Nelson; Kelsie Aguilera; Mary Nelson · American Anthropological Association · 2023
Anthropology is the study of humanity, in all its biological and cultural aspects, past and present. It is a four-field discipline comprised of biological anthropology, cultural anthropology, archaeology, and linguistic anthropology. The focus of this book is biological anthropology, which explores who we are from biological, evolutionary, and adaptive perspectives. We lay the foundation for this inquiry in the first four chapters by introducing the discipline of anthropology, evolutionary theory, molecular biology and genetics, and the forces of evolution. What's New in the 2nd Edition? Two new chapters; More concise chapters (8,000 to 10,000 words, not including call out boxes); Updated chapters with new discoveries and events; Diversity, equity and inclusion principles applied to the text and images; Enhanced accessibility standards reviewed by the ASCCC-OERI; Instructor guide detailing how to adapt the book to better fit your course. Student reviewed content.
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An EKG Interpretation Primer
Jacqueline Christianson; Nurses International Team; NP-C organization; MSN organization · Nurses International Team · 2019
This book teaches healthcare professionals the basics of EKG interpretation and is available as a Creative Commons resource.
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Foundations of Epidemiology
Marit Bovbjerg · Oregon State University · 2019
This book is intended to provide a basic introduction to epidemiologic methods and epidemiologic thinking. After reading this book, you should be able to read an epidemiologic study, understand what the authors did and why, and identify what they found. You will also have the tools to assess the quality of that study—how good is the evidence? What are potential sources of bias, and how might those have affected the results? This book will not teach you enough to be able to design and conduct your own epidemiologic studies—that level of understanding requires several years of specialized training. However, being able to read and understand the scientific literature about human health will allow you to apply that understanding to your own work in a nuanced, sophisticated way.
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Human Anatomy Lab Manual
Malgosia Wilk-Blaszczak · Mavs Open Press · 2018
This is a lab manual for a college-level human anatomy course. Mastery of anatomy requires a fair amount of memorization and recall skills. The activities in this manual encourage students to engage with new vocabulary in many ways, including grouping key terms, matching terms to structures, recalling definitions, and written exercises. Most of the activities in this manual utilize anatomical models, and several dissections of animal tissues and histological examinations are also included. Each unit includes both pre- and post-lab questions and six lab exercises designed for a classroom where students move from station to station. The vocabulary terms used in each unit are listed at the end of the manual and serve as a checklist for practicals.
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Quantitative Ecology: A New Unified Approach
Clarence Lehman; Shelby Loberg; Adam Clark · University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing · 2019
Quantitative Ecology introduces and discusses the principles of ecology from populations to ecosystems including human populations, disease, exotic organisms, habitat fragmentation, biodiversity and global dynamics. The book also reformulates and unifies ecological equations making them more accessible to the reader and easier to teach.
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An Introduction to Nutrition
Independent · 2012
Welcome to Essentials of Nutrition: A Functional Approach! This book is written for students who are not majoring in nutrition, but want to learn about the fundamental aspects of nutrition and how it applies to their own lives. We have written this book with the assumption that you have little or no prior knowledge of college level chemistry, biology, or physiology. But that does not mean it’s not scientific! Nutrition is a science-based discipline, so all the material included is backed up by rigorous scientific research, but it is presented in a clear, easy-to-understand fashion without requiring a background in science.
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Phylogenetic Comparative Methods
Luke Harmon · Luke J. Harmon · 2019
This is a book about Phylogenetic Comparative Methods by Luke J. Harmon.
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Health Education
College of the Canyons · College of the Canyons · 2018
Readers will learn about the nature of health, health education, health promotion and related concepts. This will help to understand the social, psychological and physical components of health.
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Introduction to Epigenetics
Renato Paro; Ueli Grossniklaus; Raffaella Santoro; Anton Wutz · Springer · 2021
This open access textbook leads the reader from basic concepts of chromatin structure and function and RNA mechanisms to the understanding of epigenetics, imprinting, regeneration and reprogramming. The textbook treats epigenetic phenomena in animals, as well as plants. Written by four internationally known experts and senior lecturers in this field, it provides a valuable tool for Master- and PhD- students who need to comprehend the principles of epigenetics, or wish to gain a deeper knowledge in this field. After reading this book, the student will: Have an understanding of the basic toolbox of epigenetic regulation Know how genetic and epigenetic information layers are interconnected Be able to explain complex epigenetic phenomena by understanding the structures and principles of the underlying molecular mechanisms Understand how misregulated epigenetic mechanisms can lead to disease
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Molecular Techniques: A Project-Based Undergraduate Laboratory
Ming-Mei Chang · Milne Open Textbooks · 2026
Molecular biology, examining the structures and functions of nucleic acids and proteins, is crucial to advancing biological science and improving human life, particularly in agriculture and medicine. Advances in the field can transform a crop to resist disease or uncover clues to fight illness by manipulating DNA. Techniques for molecular biology research and applications have advanced rapidly over the past decades, and undergraduates need hands-on experiences in this vital field of science. This text provides a structured approach to learning and practicing those techniques, covering DNA, RNA, and protein across five modules and is tailored for a one-semester undergraduate lab course. Each module extends 2–5 weeks of lab exercises and features.
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Sustainable Marine Futures
Patricia Corbett · Deakin University · 2026
This interactive, open-access textbook explores how ocean science, sustainability, policy and community intersect to address key marine challenges, from climate change to food security. It integrates global, national and local Australian perspectives, using multimedia and interactive learning to build ocean literacy and support a sustainable Blue Economy.
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Virology Lab Exercises for Undergraduates
Eric Ryndock · The Pennsylvania Alliance for Design of Open Textbooks (PA-ADOPT) · 2026
This laboratory manual presents a novel series of undergraduate-friendly experiments designed to provide students with a safe, accessible, and comprehensive introduction to virology. The manual is intended for students who already possess foundational knowledge in cell biology, genetics, and molecular biology, and it emphasizes hands-on learning through diverse experimental approaches. Unlike many existing virology laboratory manuals that depend on costly infrastructure such as mammalian cell culture facilities or focus narrowly on a single viral system, this manual was developed specifically for primary undergraduate teaching institutions. The experiments utilize readily available equipment while exposing students to representative viruses that infect bacteria, plants, and animals. Through these investigations, students gain practical experience with modern virological techniques and develop transferable, employable skills relevant to biotechnology, research, and related industries. Collectively, the laboratory exercises aim to strengthen conceptual understanding of viral biology, promote technical competency, and inspire student curiosity about viruses as dynamic and influential biological entities.
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Evaluating Renal Function in Humans
Louise Robson · University of Sheffield · 2026
This is an intermediate level book aimed at undergraduate and graduate students following human biology programmes who have a basic understanding of renal physiology. It covers the clearance technique, and how it can be used to evaluate renal function in humans. It goes through the different calculations, before giving you an opportunity to have a go at some calculations using real data. It finishes by evaluating the values from a clearance experiment, where the effect of the drug ACTZ was investigated.
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Mycology Laboratory Manual
Laura Ramos-Sepulveda · The Pennsylvania Alliance for Design of Open Textbooks (PA-ADOPT) · 2025
Mycology Laboratory Manual (2025) by Laura Ramos-Sepulveda is an eTextbook designed for undergraduate students to introduce them to mycology. The laboratory manual provides students with foundational knowledge in mycology and hands-on experience with key concepts such as fungal hyphal and yeast growth, asexual and sexual reproduction, fungal identification using morphological and molecular tools, appreciation of mushrooms as food, and molecular transformation of fungi. The final chapter focuses on plant pathology, where students are required to apply scientific thinking to design experiments, troubleshoot, and integrate the skills they developed in the previous chapters.
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Biotechnology Foundations
Jack O'Grady · OpenStax CNX · 2013
Given the broad definition of biotechnology applications and products, it is easy to see how there is enormous overlap within the fields of cellular biology, microbiology, chemistry, and biomedical engineering. It is the goal of this textbook to provide foundational knowledge to begin building your biotechnology toolkit and enter an exciting career of making a difference through biotechnology. This textbook first explores the fundamentals of laboratory science and biotechnology. Unit 1 begins with a dive into the foundation of biology and chemistry by asking what is life and what are the molecules of life? The end of the unit offers a primer into laboratory science; preparing solutions and operating basic lab equipment. Unit 2 brings readers through a vital tool of biomanufacturing, understanding the growth and control of microbes. Many biotechnology products are made by harnessing the work of microbes, and this unit explores this invisible and intriguing world of microorganisms. The final unit, molecular biotechnology, offers a more in-depth look at how biological molecules such as DNA and protein are manipulated into creating useful products.
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Ecology for All!
Nathan Brouwer; Hannah Connuck; Hayden Dubniczki; Natasha Gownaris · LibreTexts · 2025
Ecology For All! Is an ecology text designed in modules so that instructors can choose the pieces that make sense to assign in their context. This book has been in development for several years and is a collaborative effort of authors at Gettysburg College, Franklin & Marshall College, and University of Pittsburgh. The textbook covers a wide range of topics including Introduction to Ecology, Evolution, Adaptations to the Physical Environment, various ecological communities, Population Ecology, Behavioral Ecology, Species Interactions, Ecological Succession, Biogeochemical Cycles, Landscape Ecology, Biodiversity, Conservation Biology, and Human Impact on Global Climate among others. The authors have presented on it at the Ecological Society of America meeting and the book continues to evolve.
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Investigations in Experimental Physics
Peter Polito; James Walsh; Jeff Gagnon · Peter J. Polito, James E. Walsh, and Jeff L. Gagnon · 2025
As stated in previous editions, the purpose of the physics laboratory is not only to reinforce the physical principles studied in the classroom but also to stimulate the development of skills and techniques required to carry out well-designed experimental investigations. It is the hope of the authors that the experimental skills and techniques acquired in this laboratory will be carried over by the student to their respective areas of interest. It is, in fact, strongly suggested that the student make an effort early in their undergraduate career to become familiar with the current research problems in their area of interest. The student should always be aware of the applicability of skillsand techniques developed in this laboratory to their field of study. This manual can be used in a one semester or two semester course. At our institution, we use it in a two semester General Physics course designed primarily for health science majors (Physical Therapy, Biology, Physician Assistant, etc.). It it also used in a one semester Physics for Movement Science course designed for movement science majors (Exercise Science, Athletic Training, Physical Education, etc.). The tenth edition of the manual is a major revision of the ninth edition. Nearly all of the diagrams were updated, pictures of the lab equipment were included for every lab, and more tables were added to record data for each lab. Six new labs on Vector Addition and Subtraction with Applications, Graphical Interpretation, Motion Analysis, Applications of Rotational Equilibrium, Impulse-Momentum Vertical Jump Application, and Basic Exploration of Electric Fields Due to Point Charges were added. In addition, three older labs that we no longer have equipment to perform were removed (Hygrometry, Measurement of the Speed of Sound in Air by Kundt’s Method, and Spectrometry). Many of the other labs were also updated and supplemented by adding a simulation component using the Phet online simulations. The student is requi
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Bacterial Genomes
Aswin Seshasayee · Open Book Publishers · 2025
Microbes form the “unseen majority” of life on Earth, with bacteria at the forefront as both the architects of life’s chemical foundations and agents of disease. But their story is far more complex. Bacteria thrive in diverse and extreme environments, driven by the dynamic evolution of their genomes. These tiny organisms wield an extraordinary ability to adapt, balancing genetic changes across generations with rapid physiological responses to environmental shifts. In Bacterial Genomes, the evolutionary and regulatory processes that shape bacterial life are brought to life. This textbook offers a conceptual exploration of how bacterial genomes are organized, how they evolve, and how their genetic information is interpreted through intricate molecular networks. Drawing on both cutting-edge research and the historical milestones that shaped microbiology, it illuminates how bacteria navigate the intersection of genetic adaptation and ecological resilience. Designed for college students, interdisciplinary researchers, and even the determined amateur, Aswin Seshasayee moves beyond technical jargon to provide a thought-provoking synthesis of bacterial evolution and adaptation. Unlike traditional genomics texts, this book blends historical insights with contemporary discoveries, offering a fresh perspective on the role of bacteria in shaping the living world.