Academic Libraries Advancing Open Educational Resources: A Scoping Review

Introduction: This scoping review investigated the extent of academic library contributions to creating, curating, educating, and funding open educational resources (OER) in higher education.

Methods: Focusing on PRISMA-ScR guidelines, eight databases were searched from inception through 2021 for relevant articles in the English language, focusing on academic librarian or library involvement in OER.

Results: From over 900 results, 110 articles were identified for inclusion, after narrowing to include only articles related to the role of academic libraries in the advancement of OER, specifically those tagged with the labels Creating, Curating, Educating, and Funding. The data extracted from the 110 articles were charted, and included information like article characteristics, types of OER discussed, motivations for involvement in OER, and types of academic library involvement in OER.

Discussion: Of the 110 articles included in the review, 70 articles reported on academic librarian involvement in educating students, faculty, or staff about OER, 55 on academic library involvement in funding OER, 54 on academic librarian involvement in curating OER, and 40 on academic librarian involvement in creating OER. Textbooks were the type of OER discussed most often, and textbook affordability and lowering costs for students were the most frequently mentioned motivations for library OER initiatives.

Conclusion: Academic librarians play a multifaceted role in OER initiatives, making a significant impact as educators and advocates. However, they also contribute in other ways, such as funding, curating, and supporting the creation and adoption of OER, which has the power to improve accessibility, affordability, and student learning outcomes.