Supporting course materials efforts can involve extensive effort and planning spanning adoption of library materials, adoption of existing OER, and taking on an OER authoring project. THE 5Rs—Retain, Reuse, Revise, Remix, and Redistribute—serve as a strategic framework for both OER authoring and adoption, enabling educators to adapt materials to their specific needs or contributing new resources to a shared repository of open resources. COPYRIGHT & LICENSING knowledge is essential; open licensing governs the sharing and modification of OER, while library collections come with distinct copyright and licensing terms, which may impact how they can be adopted. Though complete textbooks are often top-of-mind when considering OER, there are many forms and TYPES OF OER, from modular content elements to chapter-level resources and teaching ancillaries. Academic support staff should consider these smaller resources as feasible entry points for integrating OER on their campuses. STANDARDS ALIGNMENT is also critical in adoption and resource development, ensuring that both OER and library materials meet the curriculum and learning objectives set by the relevant educational standards. Strong PROJECT MANAGEMENT skills are necessary for effectively planning, launching, and completing both OER creation and adoption projects, as well as for coordinating library reading lists. This includes managing timelines, resources, emotions, budgets, and collaborative efforts.
