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J. Robert Van Pelt and John and Ruanne Opie Library

Open Educational Resources (OERs)

Van Pelt and Opie Library and OERs

The library promotes the openness, accessibility, and affordability of classroom learning materials such as OERs, open access (OA) publications, and adoption of library subscribed content. Open course materials defray costs for students and increase equitable access to information, resulting in increased student retention and better student performance (DOI 10.1007/s12528-015-9101-x)

As part of our education and outreach efforts, we work to develop an understanding of campus ethos around OERs and OAs and address misinformation regarding the quality and reliability of open information.

Via consultations, workshops, and programs, library staff assist in the discover of OER content, share our expertise in understanding copyright and Creative Commons licenses as they apply to OERs and library subscribed content.

In Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech, the library provides a platform for hosting OERs and other faculty authored works.

We recognize and celebrate OER champions, faculty who have adopted open and affordable options for their students.

Learn More About OERs

Accessible Course Materials

The Library supports the University's Accessible Technologies initiative to provide equal access to University information and communication technologies to everyone. While many tools and library resources are accessible, some publishers are still in the process of updating materials. As such, instructors who created, adapt, or embed content into their courses are encouraged to review and use the tools made available through the Center for Teaching and Learning's Accessible Instructional Materials page to ensure their course content is accessible.

Librarians are available to answer your questions. Click on the Ask Us bubble for FAQs and contact options (chat, email, text, phone).

Open Educational Resources

Open Educational Resources or OERs are instructional materials made openly available on the internet for others to use, adapt, or customize for their own instructional needs. Part of the larger open access movement, OERs offer an alternative to the high priced course materials for students and provide instructors with materials they can tailor to their own needs. OERs can include textbooks, syllabi, content modules, simulations and more.

About OERs

Finding OERs

Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech and OERs

Have you created course materials that you'd like to share with others? The library can help! Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech, the university's repository, is the perfect platform for the OERs you create and want to share. Library staff can help with each step from loading content, creating metadata, to interpreting and applying the reuse license that works for you. Contact library@mtu.edu to learn more.

Books

The following books are available open access. Click the titles to download.