TRENDS IN OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES IN THE EARTH SCIENCES: EMERGING ROLES FOR THE ACADEMIC LIBRARY

Students have cited the cost of textbooks and other class materials as a barrier to majoring in certain subjects, often in the sciences where costs are most prohibitive. In an effort to curb the high cost of textbooks on students, many universities are investigating the promotion and adoption of Open Educational Resources (OERs). These are free or low-cost materials such as textbooks or other resources that can be used as class material. This poster will examine the state of OERs in the Earth Sciences and give suggestions for adoption of OERs. Many institutions have concerns about the quality of materials for educational purposes and also encounter a lack of support for widespread adoption of many open resource materials. However, we will highlight a number of sources for high quality materials, many of which have already been adopted for use. There are also ways to use less expensive resources in your class without sacrificing quality, such as using popular geology books that cover core concepts instead of the typical textbook. This poster will examine current trends in OERs and present case studies demonstrating the use of OERs in the Earth Sciences at institutions who have supported the practice, as well as the possibilities for future use at other institutions with currently available resources. Survey data of librarians involved in OER efforts will be presented, as well as ideas of how your library can help you in adopting OERs in your classroom through licensing, support, and promotion.