William & Mary Press has published its third open access publication, which explores the Mvskoke language spoken in east-central Oklahoma by members of the Muscogee Nation.

The book, “Mvskoke Language Patterns,” is authored by Chancellor Professor of English and Linguistics Jack Martin. It covers the Mvskoke alphabet, an extensive list of common phrases and, uniquely, includes audio files of native speakers’ pronunciations.

“I was looking for a format where students using the materials can hear the language, so there were some real advantages to a digital publication model over traditional publishing,” Martin said about his decision to publish through W&M Press.

W&M Press is the scholarly publishing division of W&M Libraries. The press focuses on open access digital books created by W&M faculty and seeks to fill gaps in existing curricular materials. These publications are sometimes also available in print, but W&M Press leaves room to explore the possibilities of other mediums.

“Faculty approach us [the library] because they have found there isn’t always a resource available that matches their needs in how they want to teach,” said Instruction & Research Librarian Mary Oberlies. “W&M Press accommodates a variety of formats beyond traditional print, such as audio or video, and makes these publications freely and easily accessible online.”

The press has published three books, including “Statistical Modeling: Regression, Survival Analysis, and Time Series Analysis” by Professor of Mathematics Larry M. Leemis and “Euripides’ Alcestis: translation with Introduction, Notes, and Essay” by Professor Emeritus of Classical Studies Michael R. Halleran, and three more are in process.

Utilizing a digital format can make classroom materials more accessible to students with disabilities. For example, both Leemis’ and Halleran’s books included data for alt text and screen readers.

The fact that these publications are freely accessible online also reduces the financial burden for students who need these textbooks for class.

“Libraries are here to promote access to knowledge,” Oberlies said. “The W&M Press helps us achieve this with free, open access materials, that are accessible and can be used and adapted by others based on their curricular needs.”

The libraries’ vision for the future of W&M Press is to echo the unique scholarship, research, and interdisciplinary studies that faculty and students are doing on campus and to continue to evolve with the digital landscape that affects how and where learning is happening.

Find W&M Press on the libraries’ website.