Open educational resources, or OER, refer to textbooks, course modules, primary sources, readers, homework platforms, etc., that are freely available online and available under terms that allow others to adapt and translate for their needs. This typically means materials are shared under a Creative Commons license that allows for adaptation, or that materials are out of copyright altogether. For instance, the nonprofit OpenStax creates textbooks available under a CC license, while a course on 19th century literature is likely to include numerous public domain texts.
The Libraries license, purchase, and subscribe to countless online materials for students and instructors. These are different from OER, which is freely available to all and can be remixed and adapted. But Libraries collections are a great option for lowering student costs, sometimes even making it unnecessary for students to each purchase an expensive textbook. For ebook collections, note that in some cases the Libraries only have access to one or three copies, meaning only a small number of students can simultaneously access the text. Look for an "unlimited" label near the book, or reach out to your subject specialist or Course Reserves to ask about requesting additional copies.
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