Scholarly Communication Commons^™

Navigating Oer Support Without Drowning In Ai, Lydia Burrage-Goodwin, Christine Moynihan

Joseph P. Healey Library Publications

This was a presentation at the June 2026 Boston Library Consortium at Connecticut College.

UMB Healey Librarians Lydia Burrage-Goodwin and Christine Moynihan talk about what experiences they have had with faculty using OER and AI, which led them to develop ethics guidelines to support librarians who work with faculty authors. Attendees learned about creating AI use statements for OERs, using AI transparency logos, and applying open licenses to fully AI generated content as well as OER adaptations.

Knowledge Creation And Information Sharing Through Open Education Resources, Dr. Sankar P

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Open Educational Resources (OER) are materials that anyone can use for studying, teaching, and learning because they are free to use and share. Textbooks, courses, multimedia, software, and tests are all examples of these resources. This way, everyone can get a good education, no matter where they live or how much money they have. Open Educational Resources (OER) make it easier for people all over the world to share and work on educational materials. This makes information available to more people and lowers the cost of materials. Programs like MIT OpenCourseWare make it possible for people to get free textbooks …

The Open Knowledge Fellowship: An Opportunity For Transformative Learning At The Doctoral Level, Elvis Bakaitis, Jill Cirasella, Patrick Mcgee

Publications and Research

How can we integrate the principles, practicalities, and complexities of open educational resources (OER) and open access scholarly literature into graduate-level education? At the Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY), the popular and successful Open Knowledge Fellowship offers a much-needed intervention in doctoral education by addressing these topics and associated debates. Between 2020 and 2025, the intensive six-week Fellowship program was offered 12 times and trained over 200 doctoral students from across the disciplines in the selection and use of openly licensed resources in the courses they teach. These 200+ students then taught their revamped courses …

Degrees In Action: Utilizing Public Relations Students' Expertise To Expand The Reach Of Oer, Taylor "Lainie" Allen, Shelley Wigley

UTA Libraries Staff Publications - Archive

Students' expertise plays a crucial role in promoting Open Educational Resources (OER). The “Degrees in Action: Utilizing Public Relations Students' Expertise to Expand the Reach of OER” poser presentation highlights a collaboration between a Public Relations (PR) Campaigns Course and OER and Digital Scholarship Department. PR students were empowered to apply their skills in developing and executing a public awareness campaign that highlighted the benefits and availability of OER on the University of Texas in Arlington campus.

Through strategic planning, creative messaging, event coordination, and student/faculty surveys, the PR students gained hands-on experience in communication and advocacy while addressing the …

Tracking Affordable Learning: Is Airtable Right For Your Institution?, Janelle Wertzberger, Mary R. Elmquist

All Musselman Library Staff Works

Gettysburg College began tracking OER adoptions in a Google Sheet – and we quickly outgrew it. We migrated to Airtable (a web-based spreadsheet-database platform) in 2023 and immediately appreciated its advanced capabilities and potential for making sense of our complex data. As a result, we can now produce raw statistics and compelling data-based stories regarding OER use and zero-cost/low-cost courses for campus stakeholders at all levels. Learn more about how this platform works and how you might be able to benefit from it in your local context. Maybe Airtable is right for you!

A Textbook Equity Student Advisory Board, Karlee Colby, Anne Marie H. Gruber

Faculty Publications

Engaging college students in advocacy related to open educational resources (OER) is an important way to raise awareness and encourage OER adoption on campuses in higher education. The student perspective is vital to encouraging instructors and administrators to be responsive to student needs, concerns, and preferences related to course materials access, and to consider affordability and usage rights. This case study describes the library-facilitated Textbook Equity Student Advisory Board at the University of Northern Iowa, a medium-sized regional comprehensive university. The board serves as a two-way communication outlet between textbook equity campus leaders and students, including student government. This article …

Oer Curation Worksheet, Theodore J. Szpakowski

All Musselman Library Staff Works

This worksheet aids library staff in curating open educational resources for a given class.

Use And Awareness Of Open Educational Resources Of Students And Faculty Of Nrupathunga University: A Study, Jayamma Kv, Sathish P Mr

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Open Educational Resources (OER) are digital texts, news media, and other types of resources publicly accessible under an open license, and they can be used for teaching, learning, evaluation, and research. OER is the term for information and products that are freely used, remixed, improved, and redistributed by anybody with the owner's permission under specific licenses. These are designed to be adjusted for regionally unique circumstances to reduce barriers to accessibility through efficient instruction. The creation and promotion of free educational resources are often motivated by providing a better and alternative educational perspective. Open educational resources are educational, research, and …

Finding Zero-Cost Textbooks And Course Materials, Janelle Wertzberger, Mary Elmquist

All Musselman Library Staff Works

Research shows that students who don’t have access to assigned course materials are more likely to struggle academically. We know that high book costs mean that many students never obtain their textbooks, while others have limited access due to using shared copies. Local data reveal that negative impacts of high book costs are more pronounced for Gettysburg College first-generation students, international students, and Pell Grant recipients.

Eliminating or reducing the cost of course materials can help to counteract these negative effects and inequities. This session will provide a brief overview of how to find two types of zero-cost materials: Open …

Driving Oer Sustainability For Student Success: Assessing And Acting On The Equity Dimensions Of Oer, Jennifer Mayer, Liliana Diaz

University Libraries Publications

Equity work and open educational resources may seem like an obvious pairing, but how much do we as OER advocates connect these dots and articulate this relationship? The University of Northern Colorado (UNC) was one of five U.S. institutions to receive a grant to pilot the Equity Through OER Rubric. Members (36 higher education systems in the U.S. and Canada) of the Driving OER Sustainability for Student Success (DOERS3) created the rubric to help define, unpack, and explain the multiple dimensions of equity and foreground the role of OER in closing equity gaps. The final rubric project portfolio includes a …

Open Educational Resources In Kentucky, Stephen G. Krueger, Todd Seguin, Colleen Deel, Aj Boston, Lidiya Grote, Bailey Lake, Katrina Salley, Stacy Scott, Kelly Smith, Maria Taylor, Kathleen Richardson

Library Faculty and Staff Publications

Open educational resources (OER) play an increasingly important role in the education landscape, with increased awareness and use year over year (Coffey). Often, academic libraries play a supporting role for instructors as they locate, adopt, and create OER for their courses. In this article, we will provide an introduction to OER, outline some current trends in open education, and describe a few of the OER initiatives currently underway in Kentucky’s college and university libraries.

Value Beyond Cost Savings: Unlocking Diversity, Equity And Inclusion With Open Educational Resources, Nancy A. Henke

University Libraries Workshops & Webinars

The cost savings offered by the use of Open Educational Resources (OER) have garnered significant attention. As free teaching, learning, and research materials, OER reduce financial barriers to education by eliminating textbook costs. However, fewer people are aware that OER also contribute to a more inclusive learning environment. This session explores the value of OER beyond financial benefits, delving into how OER, as free and accessible resources, play a role in building an inclusive educational landscape. From embracing diverse perspectives in content creation to providing the opportunity to tailor course materials to students’ specific needs, this presentation uncovers the many …

The Role Of Lis Professional In Open Educational Resources And Its Impact In Bangladesh, Dr. Md. Azizur Rahman, Sumitra Mitra Biswas, Dr. Subrata Biswas

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Introduction- This study aims to explore of the role of LIS Professionals in open educational resources (OERs) and its impact on Bangladesh. In addition, there is a focus on raising awareness and improving open educational resources.

Purpose – The purpose of the study is to provide quantitative information on the growth and development of the LIS professionals in OER in Bangladesh. In addition, the focus is on raising awareness and improving open educational resources.

Research problem- The study is about acquiring data sources, facing huge problems related to field of LIS Professionals in OER in Bangladesh. LIS professionals in the …

Investing In Textbook Affordability Pays Off For Students, Janelle Wertzberger

All Musselman Library Staff Works

Investing in textbook affordability can have a huge payoff for students—just ask Assistant Professors Alice Brawley Newlin and Marta Maras in the Management department. Their open, customized textbook for Statistical Methods (MGT 235) is completely free. It has been used by over 400 students and saved them an estimated $150,000! The story of how this remarkable outcome was achieved has its origins in Musselman Library. [excerpt]

Open Educational Resources (Oer) Efficacy And Experiences: A Mixed Methods Study, Jennifer Mayer

University Libraries Publications

This study compared course passing and completion rates of undergraduate students to determine if there was any relationship between use of open educational resources (OER) and these two outcomes. Students who took OER courses and faculty who taught with OER shared their perceptions of the impact of such resources on learning outcomes and teaching methods.

The quantitative analysis revealed that using OER had a positive impact on course passing rates (7 percent increase) and completion rates (10 percent increase) for all students. The qualitative analysis revealed the student perception that OER had some positive impact on their course participation and …

Digital Access Tools And Provision Of Open Educational Resources By Librarians In Academic Libraries In Rivers State, Emmanuel Okwu, Onyema Nsirim

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The purpose of the study was to determine digital access tools and provision of open educational resources by librarians in academic libraries in Rivers State. Three objectives, three research questions and three hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The study adopted a correlational research survey design. The population of the study was Seventy-Five (75) librarians comprising all the state government owned academic libraries in Rivers State. Census sampling technique was used to select all the respondents. Online questionnaire titled Digital Access Tools and Provision of Open Educational Resources Questionnaire (DATPOERQ) was used for data collection. A total of Sixty-Six …

2022 Gettysburg College Textbook Survey Full Report, Mary R. Elmquist, Janelle Wertzberger

All Musselman Library Staff Works

In Fall 2022, Musselman Library conducted its second course materials survey, this time in collaboration with 10 other liberal arts colleges from around the country. This report compiles the results from Gettysburg College participants' responses. Comparisons are also made to the results from Gettysburg's 2019 survey and the larger group of colleges.

Oa And Oer In Education And The Knowledge Market: Presentation And Workshop Materials, Jillian Beckwell

Honors Projects

Are you interested in being able to access reliable information, research, images, and more online without running into a paywall or fee? Are you interested in accessing online textbooks and other class materials without having to spend a single dollar? With Open Access and Open Educational Resources, these scenarios are possible. This presentation will discuss Open Access materials and Open Educational Resources, and their role in educational spaces and within the different Knowledge Market services.

Open Educational Resources (Oer) Initiatives: Global And Indian Quo Vadis, Phulasmita Nath

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Galloping speed of technological development and intense research activities in ICT over last couple of decades has facilitated opportunities of rapid expansion in creation, distribution and consumption of educational resources across the world. While fulcrum motivational factor for such technological advancement is indeed profit driven, a substantial gain has also been drawn by academic communities using the same set of technologies for greater social good. Open Source Software, Creative Commons, Open Access Initiatives have paved the way for Open Educational Resources (OER). With these impetuses, nations are trying to bridge the gaps between information have and haven’t and reduce the …

Diamonds Down Your Sofa, Aisling Coyne, Yvonne Desmond, John Donovan

Other

Every RPO has or should have an institutional repository. As a showcase for what you do especially outputs that are not suitable for publication, they are hard to beat but how many of us extract the full value from them? How many of us treat them as electronic warehouses and never look at them again? In short, how many of us have no idea of how much really know? Repositories store so much more than just full-text articles, they are used to catalogue everything from artworks to zoom logs and everything in between and that breadth represents hidden but real …

Western Civilization: A Concise History, Sanford Robins, Christopher Brooks

SUBR Faculty Open Educational Resources

This class will discuss the history of Western Civilization (primarily Mesopotamia, the Near East, and Europe) from the earliest known civilizations to about the year 1500 CE. You will learn about major events, countries, ideas, and people and the impact that these had on their times and on how history developed. This knowledge is important for you to have because you are a person who lives in a society shaped by these events and ideas. The ultimate goal of this class is to help you understand how the flow of history has impacted the present and to help you understand …

World Civilization I, Emmitt Glynn Iii, Andrew Reeves, Brian Parkinson, Charlotte Miller, Eugene Berger, George Israel, Nadejda Williams

SUBR Faculty Open Educational Resources

Description

• Pressbooks textbook
• MoodleNet
• Canvas Commons

This course will provide you with a broad outline of World History from its origins to 1500. The course will cover the origins of humankind, our organization into cities, states, and empires, our social tendencies, economic needs, and spiritual wants. The heart of the course is to compare and contrast civilizations and cultures from five key regions: the Fertile Crescent, India, Africa, Eurasia, and the Americas. We will learn how to think historically, use a variety of sources, and apply good reading and writing skills. The goal for this course is to foster openness …

Is It Worth It? Evaluating An Open Educational Resources Awards Program, Ashley Sergiadis, Philip Smith

ETSU Faculty Works

Awards or grant programs are a common way for higher education institutions to incentivize the use of Open Educational Resources (OER) and other affordable course materials. This study evaluates the results of a two-year pilot OER awards program at East Tennessee State University. To assess the awards program, we used data from student savings and program costs, grades, drop-fail-withdrawal (DFW) rates, and survey results compiled within the COUP framework (Cost, Outcomes, Usage, and Perception). The initial monetary return on investment was moderately positive, while the grades and DFW rates remained steady. The faculty and students rated the open and affordable …

Digitalcommons, Imsa’S Institutional Portfolio: How Inclusion Is Creating A Win-Win For Stakeholders, Jean Bigger

Publications & Research

DigitalCommons@imsa includes rich collections from across the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy that are anchored to its legislative charge and mission. Hear how inclusion and a history of robust cross collaboration have made it possible for IMSA to curate content that provides evidence of return on investment to stakeholders while demonstrating the effectiveness of its programs. And share in the excitement of our newest initiative, Student Portfolios.

Supporting Open Educational Resources In Digital Commons, Ashley Sergiadis

ETSU Faculty Works

At East Tennessee State University, an awards program incentivizes instructors to adapt or create Open Educational Resources (OERs) and publish them in Digital Commons@ETSU. Come to this presentation to hear lessons learned from the Digital Scholarship Librarian who supported the instructors during the creation and publication process. The presentation will cover the following topics: copyright, accessibility, promotion, timelines, and assessments.

Affordable Learning Kentucky: Strategies For Affordability And Success, Kelly Smith, Cristen Ross, Lori Werth, Ilona Burdette

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Kentucky Virtual Library’s Affordable Learning Steering Committee, an initiative of the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE), is a working group of librarians from universities around Kentucky exploring ways to advance Kentucky in the Open Educational Resource (OER) / Affordable Textbook movement.

The panel presentation included an overview of their work to date and a discussion with the audience about Kentucky’s needs and strategies related to affordable courseware for students on topics including working with campus bookstores, adding course resources to library collections, using e-reserves dynamically, promoting faculty use and creation of open content, and campus textbook initiatives.

Panelists included …

Textbook Remix: An Introduction To Libretexts For Oer Editing, Mary Elmquist, Alice M. Brawley Newlin

All Musselman Library Staff Works

So, you’ve found an open textbook that you really like, but it’s not quite right for your class? LibreTexts might be the answer! Join us for this informal webinar to learn a little more about this online platform designed for customizing and distributing open textbooks. From Gettysburg College, Scholarly Communications Librarian Mary Elmquist will provide an introduction to the platform, its structure and features, and Dr. Alice Brawley Newlin, Assistant Professor of Management, will speak on her ongoing experiences using LibreTexts to edit and implement an open textbook for a Statistical Methods course.

This session should provide insight for both …

Student Textbook Surveys: An Important Component Of A Library Oer Initiative, Janelle Wertzberger, Amanda Langdon, Andrea Hartranft, Mary Elmquist

All Musselman Library Staff Works

A student textbook survey is a potentially powerful tool in the OER advocate’s toolkit. This moderated panel features librarians working within smaller settings and includes representatives from a small, private, liberal arts college, a small public Hispanic-serving institution, and a community college. Panelists will discuss survey goals, research design considerations, approaches to data analysis, and strategies for sharing results. Participants will gain concrete ideas about whether and how a student textbook survey could advance their local OER initiatives, as well as practical tips for how to move ahead with such a project.

Inequitable Impacts Of Textbook Costs At A Small, Private College: Results From A Textbook Survey At Gettysburg College, Sarah Appedu, Mary Elmquist, Janelle Wertzberger, Sharon K. Birch

All Musselman Library Staff Works

Recognizing that higher education settings vary considerably, librarians at Gettysburg College sought to better understand textbook spending behaviors and the effects of costs on our students. We adapted the Florida Virtual Campus 2016 Student Textbook and Course Materials Survey to suit the context of our small, private, liberal arts college. Most students spent $300 in Fall 2019. Financial aid awards did not cover the cost of required books and course materials for most students receiving aid. Negative effects were more pronounced for first-generation students and Pell Grant recipients, who were more likely to not purchase required books, to not register …

Faculty And Student Perspectives On Open Education At Gettysburg College, Mary R. Elmquist, Janelle Wertzberger, Alice M. Brawley Newlin, Natasha J. Gownaris, Christopher C. Oechler, Ryan E. Nedrow

Friday Forum

Commercially available textbooks and course materials are often expensive for students and sometimes don’t cover topics in exactly the way you might prefer to teach. Freely available and completely adaptable open educational resources (OER) have risen in popularity in recent years, both nationwide and locally, as a way to address both issues. Join us to hear from Alice Brawley Newlin (Management), Tasha Gownaris (Environmental Studies), Chris Oechler (Spanish), and Ryan Nedrow ’22 to hear about their experiences with OER in the classroom. Panelists will talk honestly about the benefits, drawbacks, challenges, and successes associated with open course materials in order …