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• OERs can be viewed on a variety of devices, allowing students to simultaneously keep a printed copy at home, a mobile version to read on the go, and a browser-based version to read during class. is a �������� authored eBook used in PY1103 that can be downloaded in .PDF and .ePub formats, making its use less dependent on internet access.

• OERs can be legally converted from one format to another. This is especially helpful for campus Accessibility Services, who can create - and share (large print, braille, or audio) versions of OER texts without seeking any additional permissions.

Fact: Open educational resources (OERs) can be produced to the same quality standards as traditional textbooks

In this increasingly digital and internet connected world, the old adage of “you get what you pay for” is growing outdated. New models are developing across all aspects of society that dramatically reduce or eliminate costs to users, and this kind of innovation has spread to educational resources.

OER publishers have worked to ensure the quality of their resources. Many open textbooks are created within rigorous editorial and peer-review guidelines, and many OER repositories allow academics to review the material. There is also a growing body of evidence that demonstrates that OERs can be both free of cost and high quality - and more importantly, support positive student learning outcomes.

Here is some evidence supporting the quality of OER:

• is �������� authored and written for SY1001 students. This text went through an process prior to publication.

• - one of the most recognised open textbook publishers - created a library of peer-reviewed, professional grade open textbooks for the highest enrollment college courses. These books are kept up to date through a centrally controlled errata process.

• The is a large and growing collection of open textbooks. Prospective users can read public reviews of the books written by academics, who assess a text through a star rating and a ten-point rubric.

• Many peer-reviewed academic research studies have found OERs support positive student outcomes. One found that students who used OERs tended to perform the same or better than their peers in terms of grades, course completion, and other measures of academic success.

Fact: Open licensing makes open educational resources (OERs) easy to use.

OERs carry permissions for users to freely download, edit and share the content to better serve all students. These permissions are granted by the creator of an OER through an open license - a legal document that informs users of their right to retain, reuse, revise, remix and redistribute the work. Open licensing is a simple, legal way for authors to keep their copyright and share their work with the public under the terms and conditions they choose.

(CC) licenses are a set of standard open licenses that are used throughout the OERs community. Materials licensed under CC licenses are easy to identify, clearly explain the permissions and conditions of reuse, and don’t require any additional permission to use or adapt. To add an open license to a work, an author simply needs to include a copyright statement indicating that the resources carry a CC license and include a link to the specific license.

Here are some ways to get support using CC licenses:

• Check out �������� Library guidance

• �������� Open eBook

• To select which CC license to apply to your work, use this

• When using licensed content, this can help ensure you give proper attribution.

Fact: Open textbooks often come with ancillaries, and when they do not, other existing OERs may provide required additional supports.

Instructors increasingly expect publishers to provide ancillary materials with textbooks, including lecture slides, images, videos and homework platforms. This demand for ancillary materials is beginning to be met directly by OER publishers and commercial companies who offer complementary products to open textbooks. There are also many repositories that hold openly licensed materials that can serve as ancillaries, including PowerPoint slides, videos and simulations. Liaison Librarians can work with academics to help find these resources or share resources that others have already created.

Here are some examples of OER ancillary materials:

• �������� Open eBooks was designed to facilitate active learning by �������� French students, and contains lesson plans for years 9 and 12 high school teachers.

• Check out for free open textbook and ancillary resources, including videos, homework assignments, games, case studies, lesson plans and course syllabi.

• Traditional publishers have increasingly begun to offer software homework systems, particularly in STEM fields. provides an open-source alternative used by hundreds of campuses.

• Institutions across the world have launched programs to encourage academic staff to make curricular resources openly available, including ancillaries such as lecture notes, PowerPoint slides, and assessments. is a web-based publication of openly available MIT course content.