Exploring the Open Library

There’s an old saying – that a great way to learn about people is to get to know their bookshelves.

For many faculty in higher education, our bookshelves are transforming into a hybrid collection. 
 
We’ve sat down with eCampusOntario’s Open Librarians to discover some of the most impactful Open Educational Resources available and take a sneak peek into the future of #Open education.

Hear from the Open Library 

Experts in all things OER, Open Librarians can help you find the best resources for your teaching and learning practices.

Which OER do you recommend for learners? 
 
Accessibility Advising in Ontario Postsecondary Education. Every year, several students from different nations land in Canada with the dream of being successful and to have a high quality of life.  
 
To achieve this goal, students need to be able to access courses that prepare them for the job market. This OER introduces students to the essential knowledge they need to enter the field of accessibility advising, and to begin developing, implementing, and advising on accommodation and support planning for students with disabilities in Ontario’s colleges and universities.

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What’s your favourite category of OER? 

Extended Reality/Virtual Reality (XR/VR) is one of the most exciting categories of OER. These OER help learners gain practical experience in a variety of disciplines and prepare them as they move on to placements or the labour market. Experiential learning of this type has been shown time and again to help learners see theoretical concepts in a real-world way and improve learning outcomes.  
 
For example, Digital Health Narratives helps learners to experience what it is like to have and manage a chronic illness within an Ontario healthcare context. Not only do learners develop a sense of empathy for their future patients, but it also informs professional development that can lead to an improved future healthcare system by allowing practitioners to view the system through a patient perspective. 

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What is your favourite OER? 
 
Open Peeps : A hand-drawn illustration library. It’s a source library of vector bits and pieces you can use in a variety of platforms. It’s great as a source of inspiration when I’m in a creative block and need something to help kick-start some ideas – like creating personas when developing supports!  

I also have a soft spot for the entire Public Domain Core Collection, because I love my classics and they’re beautifully formatted. It also comes with a Faculty guide!  

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What inspires you about the Open Library? 
 
Working with all my amazing teammates over the years and supporting the users! In my time at eCampusOntario in general, I’ve worked with many incredible teammates in the library and outside of it. Each of them has been so generous with their expertise, deeply caring, hilarious, and just wonderful people to be around. Of course, given my reference background, I will always take particular enjoyment in talking with the library users to understand their needs and wants and to support them however I can. 

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Which OER are you most excited about? 

Mastering Open Ed. This is a guide for educators to learn about OER, from adoption to creation, that was developed by our team in collaboration with a fantastic group of subject matter experts from Ontario colleges and universities. This OER was created bilingual by design to ensure accessibility and inclusivity for a diverse audience, enhancing communication and understanding across different communities. 

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What’s your favourite Open Library initiative? 

My favourite Open Library project is the Specialized OER and Ancillary Resources project. Currently underway, this project is being supported by Sarah Sooknanan and me. The project provided funding to creator OERs or ancillary resources in areas with identified gaps including business, engineering, trades, and science. I am incredibly excited about the OERs and ancillary resources being developed and cannot wait to make them available in the Open Library collection. 

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Do you have a favourite category of OER? 
 
I love virtual reality and Art & Design resources. When I see the VR resources in action, you can see how beneficial these OER’s can be for students by giving them an almost tactile taste of the information and the skills they are gaining in their courses. 

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Support from the Open Library 

Whether you are looking to adopt, create, use, or share Open Educational Resources – our team is here to help.

To connect with our team for direct support, head over to the support page.

Stay in Touch 
 
Are you interested in receiving updates from the Open Library on open education news, new resources, events, and initiatives? Don’t miss out on the Open Library news by signing up!

Open Library Events 

Join the Open Library in our virtual events supporting the use, adaptation, adoption, and creation of open educational resources (OER).

Adding to the Library 

Have you created or adapted an OER that suits postsecondary education in Ontario? Have you found an OER that meets your quality assurance standards and think it should be included in the open library? Let us know. 

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About

The eCampusOntario Open Library provides educators and learners with access to more than 1,600 free and openly-licensed educational resources. There are currently 438 total educators, with 45 Ontario Institutions using OER in their programs, serving 244,512 learners with a total impact of $22,077,304 in savings across all adoptions.