There may be instances where a title may be removed from the Platform. All decisions are made collaboratively in consultation with the author(s) and administrators/editors on those books (for more details on open licensing, see Understanding Open Licensing).The criteria for these decisions will be based on a number of factors, including:

• Dated Material: Materials may be removed from the Platform if they no longer reflect current practices or sound scientific principles, or if an updated, revised, or new edition has been published.
• Alternative Hosting: Public domain works (that are not transformative, that is, they are copied to the Platform as is; see What We Cannot Publish) will be transitioned to ARES Course Reserve System if they still provide value.
• Author Requests: Authors may request the removal of their work from the Platform and these requests will be reviewed to ensure they align with institutional policies and preservation goals. The following guidelines apply:
  • Authors must submit a formal removal request to OpenEdHelp@tamu.edu, including the title of the work, a brief explanation for the removal request, and any preferred timelines.
  • For sole-authored works, authors may request removal directly.
  • For works that are adaptations of other openly-licensed titles, only the individuals listed as authors of the adaptation in our Pressbooks platform will be contacted.
  • For edited compilations, requests to remove content are deferred to the book’s editor(s). In all cases, we require—at a minimum—confirmation from anyone with an administrative role on the book so that they are aware of the removal request.
  • Removal of significant content typically requires the title to be republished as a revision, derivative, or new edition, as it exceeds the threshold for simple post-publication edits (e.g., fixing typos).
  • The TAMU Libraries OpenEd team will review the request within one week to verify authorship and determine next steps.
  • A copy of the original work will be archived in the institutional repository, OAKTrust, for preservation purposes (see OAKTrust’s End User Agreement). Authors can request an embargo (see Preservation with Embargo Option).

Preservation with Embargo Option

To ensure long-term access and preservation, all books published through the Platform will have a digital PDF copy archived in the institutional repository. This repository serves as a secure and permanent location for all publications, protecting their availability for future educational use. Each published edition that uses a license is treated as a separate work and will be archived individually, ensuring that all versions remain accessible for preservation and reference. Authors who prefer not to make certain editions (e.g., older or dated versions) publicly accessible may request an embargo. Under an embargo:

• The archived book will remain preserved in the repository but will not be publicly accessible until the embargo period expires.
• Authors must specify the duration of the embargo or conditions for lifting it.

License Changes and Commercial Publications

• If an author wishes to republish their existing work, with a restrictive license (e.g., “All Rights Reserved”),  the content may no longer meet the Platform’s open-access mission. We would not be able to publish that content under the TAMU System Open Digital Publishing program. However, we will continue to host the open license version.