LibGuides: Open Access Resources for Educators : Open Access Textbooks / Learning Object Repositories

Welcome

Use this guide to help you find links to some of the best sources for shared open access educational content, such as lectures, images, videos, and open textbooks.

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Some Quick Definitions

What is an Open Textbook?

Open textbooks are textbooks released under a Creative Commons, or similar, license. They are often written and published by faculty, with the support of universities or new commercial companies. This new model enables free online access to textbooks.

What is a Learning Object Repository?

A Learning Object Repository is an online storage location/digital library of learning objects (or links to learning objects). The learning objects ( modules, videos, images, books) are intended to be freely shared, adapted, or reused. Many Learning Object Repositories include open textbooks

What Is Open Education?

Open education involves expanding educational opportunities by encouraging the open sharing and recombination of educational resources. Institutions and individuals are increasingly sharing open digital learning and teaching resources over the internet without cost.

Selected Open Textbook Sources / Learning Object Repositories

Acceso
University of Kansas Collaborative Digital Spanish Project (Acceso) is an open-access, digital learning environment designed to promote the acquisition of Spanish and the development of cultural understanding. Click on "Instructor Resources" to find out how to access unit-level assignments, daily lesson plans, student handouts, detailed writing activities and participation rubrics
Affordable Learning Georgia - Textbooks
A University System of Georgia (USG) initiative to promote student success by linking to affordable textbook alternatives
COOL4Ed
California Open Online Library for Education (COOL4Ed), three California higher education Systems are working together to provide easy access to quality free and open textbooks that everyone and anyone can use for teaching and learning, Includes many resources; you can search Merlot through this as well..
DOAB: Directory of Open Access Books
Directory of Open Access Books is a joint service of OAPEN, OpenEdition, CNRS and Aix-Marseille Université. The primary aim of DOAB is to increase discoverability of Open Access books. Academic publishers are invited to provide metadata of their Open Access books to DOAB.
Milne Open Texbooks (SUNY)
Milne Library Publishing at SUNY Geneseo manages and maintains Milne Open Textbooks, a catalog of open textbooks authored and peer-reviewed by SUNY faculty and staff.
OASIS
Openly Available Sources Integrated Search (OASIS) is a search tool that aims to make the discovery of open content easier. OASIS searches open content from many different sources.
OASIS is being developed at SUNY Geneseo's Milne Library.
OER Commons
Searchable open access repository
OpenStax
OpenStax is a nonprofit educational initiative based at Rice University. OpenStax textbooks are developed and peer-reviewed by educators,
Open Textbook Library - Open Textbook Network
University of Minnesota’s College of Education and Human Development has a catalog of open textbooks, created by faculty at various colleges and universities Now offering 1210 open textbooks, the Open Textbook Library is supported by the Open Education Network.
Open Textbook Store
Quality textbooks issued under open licenses that allow for printing.
Rebus Community
You can use this platform to:start an open textbook project, give and receive guidance on publishing open textbooks post and respond to calls for contributors, and connect with global communities that are changing the world through open education. The Rebus Community is an initiative of the Rebus Foundation, a Canadian registered charity.
Wikibooks
Includes open-content textbooks

Open Source Course Management Systems

Moodle
Moodle is a Course Management System (CMS), also known as a Learning Management System (LMS) or a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). It is a free web application that educators can use to create effective online learning sites.
Sakai
Sakai is a community of academic institutions, commercial organizations and individuals who work together to develop a common Collaboration and Learning Environment (CLE). The Sakai CLE is a free, community source, educational software platform distributed under the Educational Community License (a type of open source license).

Subject Guide

Maureen Cropper

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Electronic Resources Librarian / Professor
BCTC - Leestown Campus
Lexington, KY 40511

Free Textbooks Shaking Up Higher Education

Free Textbooks Shaking Up Higher Education.
Article on the growing use of open source textbooks at colleges and universities