Open Educational Resources (OER) at UD

The Open and Affordable Teaching Materials Initiative at UD

The University of Delaware Library, Museums and Press leads campus efforts to increase the affordability of course materials through the use of open educational materials (OER), open access publications, and library collections. Our initiative is governed by a group of librarians, educational developers, instructional designers, bookstore representatives and faculty.

We have supported dozens of projects across academic departments, and have saved students nearly half a million dollars in materials costs.

About Open Educational Resources

Open Educational Resources are materials that have been created for teaching purposes and released free of cost under an open license, such as a Creative Commons license. OER can include syllabi, textbooks, lecture notes, simulations, question banks, and more.

  • OER offers free access to course materials and students retain that access indefinitely.
  • Research has shown that the use of zero-cost course materials can improve outcomes for students.
  • The use of open materials can allow faculty much more control over how their content aligns with course goals and ensure inclusivity in their course materials.

How Can I get involved?

Whether you are a faculty member who wants to reduce costs and improve outcomes for your students, a staff member, or student looking to learn more, the best place to start is with your liaison librarian. Librarians can help you locate available materials and let you know what projects have happened in your area of interest.