Open Educational Resources
The University Libraries provide resources and consultation for instructors interested in adopting, adapting, and creating Open Educational Resources (OER).
For more information or to request a consultation contact:
Catherine Fraser Riehle
Associate Professor, Teaching & Learning Librarian
2026-2027 OER Grant Program!
UNL Libraries is excited to offer an annual OER Grant Program in support of UNL’s STAR initiative.
What are OER?
Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching, learning, and research resources that either reside in the public domain or are licensed in a manner that permits their free use and re-purposing by others.
Because OER are "open," users may engage in the so-called 5R activities - Retain, Reuse, Revise, Remix, and Redistribute - which provides useful flexibility and exciting pedagogical possibilities.
The American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) has designated OER as a high-impact practice (HIP), a teaching and learning practice shown to provide significant educational benefits for students, particularly those from populations historically underserved by higher education. Study fundings associate OER implementation with lower course withdrawal rates, increases in students earning A grades, and improved time-to-completion.
Programs and Resources
Funding Support
OER Grant Program
The UNL Libraries offer an annual OER grant program to provide funding and consultation for instructors seeking to adapt or create OER as an alternative to traditional textbooks and other traditionally licensed course materials.
See the grant program website for more information.
A 5R Resource
Pressbooks
Pressbooks is an open-source online platform for self-publishing books in a variety of formats. It is widely used in higher education for producing and publishing OER.
About PressbooksLibraries Consultations
Course Materials Review
Libraries faculty will review course syllabi or reading lists and search for and suggest relevant low(er) cost and more open alternatives for instructors' consideration.
Get started by sharing a syllabus or reading listA 5R Resource
OER in UNL's Digital Commons
There is a growing collection of UNL-affiliated OER in the DigitalCommons.