If you have questions about the content on this page or would like more information about using OER in your course, please contact David Meincke.
Digital Public Library of American (DPLA)
Links to multimedia objects from libraries, archives, and museums around the United States.
Many items are in the public domain, but copyright status may vary. Check the "rights" field for each item.
Repository of interactive learning objects on a variety of topics
Online, peer-reviewed medical resources such as teaching materials, assessment tools, and faculty development.
These published resources can be used for education purposes without violating copyright.
Merlot is "a curated collection of free and open online teaching, learning, and faculty development services."
A multidisciplinary repository for a variety of OER, including textbooks, syllabi, activities, video, images, etc.
Teaching materials including syllabi, course activities, and assessments created by faculty, instructional designers, librarians, and other educators. Some materials are meant to enhance textbooks.
Florida's OER Repository
Open education resources from leading colleges and universities.
OER is often in the form of text, but can also be graphical, video, and audio, and include supplemental materials. Here are some examples:
Therapeutic Communication for Health Care Administrators Game Simulations
There are many rich multimedia sources freely available online. You can easily add these to your courses to increase student interest and engagement.
Don't forget about
Check with a librarian to make sure you are following Fair Use.
See Best Practice in Fair Use from American University, Washington College of Law.
The Pressbooks Directory is an index of thousands of public "books" published across dozens of PressbooksEDU networks. When Pressbooks uses the term "book" they actually mean a website, with a unique URL. So consider a book on the Pressbooks Directory as an electronic resource - it can be any length, and it can be edited, based on the copyright license.
When you find a resource that you think will work for your information needs, based on the copyright permission, you may be able to clone it (copy it) to OpenEd@JWU. This allows for you to retain, revise, remix, reuse, and redistribute it (5 Rs). OpenEd@JWU is the place where you can customize the resource for your purposes.
Note: please check with a librarian to confirm the copyright permissions on Pressbooks content. Not all resources published to the Pressbooks platform have a Creative Commons license which allows for the 5 Rs.
Pressbooks has created a guide on How to Use the Pressbooks Directory, or you can Take the Tour from the landing page (see below)
Despite its length, this is not an exhaustive list. Many other open textbooks and multimedia resources exist. Make an appointment with a librarian if you want help sorting through these materials.
Archive of basic college textbooks provided under a Creative Commons license by a textbook publisher
The result of collaboration between the University System of Georgia and California State University. The site lists popular course titles along with OER that has been created or adapted to teach those subjects.
Free eBooks and textbooks in the Sciences, Management, Accounting, Math, Languages, Law, etc
California Digital Open Source Library
Library of textbooks, courses, course materials and more made possible by a legislative decision in California.
The Center for Open Educational Resources and Language Learning presents a federally funded collection with resources for language learning.
A collection of peer-reviewed open textbooks. Formats and copyright licenses differ.
Provides customizable textbooks and teaching materials to students at a low cost
Free library covering a variety of topics typical in an undergraduate program.
Digital preservation repository containing open access works on all subjects
Provides multidisciplinary open access books and journals in Science, Technology, and Medicine.
A collection of materials in a variety of subject areas developed by Lumen Learning.
A non-profit organization that provides free psychology textbooks.
"Pilot project of Ohio Textbook HQ that aims to provide quality textbook options for faculty and better learning outcomes, while also saving students money."
A UK project that publishes books under open licenses.
A list of free textbooks written by scholars.
A Canadian Government funded project, begun in 2012, that provides students with open textbooks and other open educational resources.
The primary goal of the Community College Consortium for Open Educational Resources (CCCOER) is to create awareness of OER and help colleges to identify, create and/or repurpose existing OER to improve teaching and learning and make education more accessible for all learners.
The Open Learning Initiative is a grant-funded group at Carnegie Mellon University.
Free, open-source, peer-reviewed an high-quality textbooks for your college course.
The result of an open textbook project at the State University of New York Libraries.
A catalog of open access textbooks to be reviewed by faculty members, made available by the University of Minnesota's College of Education and Human Development. Textbooks in this catalog are openly licensed, complete, and available in print at very little cost.
Portland State University's institutional repository, which includes a small collection of open access texts authored by faculty there. Remixing may be required as some content was gathered from paid library materials.
Library of open access ebooks, including creative works in the public domain.
Includes courses on Art History, Biology, Business Administration, Chemistry, Communication, Computer Science, Economics, English, History, Mathematics, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, Professional Development, Psychology, Sociology, Study Skills
Art history textbook including multimedia from Khan Academy.
Textbooks sorted by author and topic that can be downloaded for free or, in some cases, purchased in print.
Downcity Library:
111 Dorrance Street Providence, Rhode Island 02903
401-598-1121
Harborside Library:
321 Harborside Boulevard Providence, RI 02905
401-598-1466