Mesa Library Resources
Library Resources Are Not OER
Most of the resources available at your campus library are not OER. That is, they are not free (the library pays for them), they are not openly-licensed, and they do not allow users to engage in the 5R activities (they cannot be retained, reused, revised, remixed, or redistributed). They are almost always under copyright restrictions, subject to a contract with a database provider, and password-protected. So, the library's online subscription resources are restricted specifically to the current students, faculty and staff at your college.
Please watch the following video (5:26) from OpenOregon, which explains why library materials are not the same thing as open educational resources, but how they can be an important component in solving the problem of high textbook prices:
Library Resources Have Value
Although library resources are not "open," your campus library should still be considered a source for content that you can make available at NO COST to your students. You will find general and discipline-specific databases that offer a wide range of material types, including journals, magazines, newspapers, eBooks, streaming video, and high-resolution images. They also come with helpful librarians!
In fact, there are situations where using library content might be the best approach. This is especially true when it’s impossible to use an open equivalent for your course materials. For example, if you’re studying modern poetry, then nearly all of your primary sources will be under copyright. While there is much more open content there are still areas where existing OERs don’t meet the learning objectives for a course. Your campus library can be used to fill those gaps.
Attributions:
"3.8 Campus Library Resources" by @One Online Network of Educators Links to an external site. is licensed under CC BY 4.0 Links to an external site.
Text: Adapted from "Library resources as course materials" by OpenOregon, licensed under CC BY 4.0 and "Faculty guide to Open Educational Resources (OER): Library resources" by Tacoma Community College Library , licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Video: "Library resources as course materials" by Amy Hofer for OpenOregon is licensed under CC BY 4.0