Open Educational Resources (OER), which are free and openly-licensed learning materials, have the potential to increase access to learning by removing significant cost barriers. Following the announcement of Governor Gina Raimondo’s challenge in September 2016 to save Rhode Island students $5m over 5 years, the Rhode Island Open Textbook Initiative formed a steering committee, comprised of one librarian from each participating institution of higher education. Over the past two years and in conjunction with the Office of Innnovation, this group has rapidly expanded OER outreach and advocacy with faculty and administration, data collection, and self-education into the nuances of OER.

Panelists will share individual perspectives of how the initiative has worked from their unique vantage points (a public college, a private university, and the state government) and engage the audience in a discussion revolving around ways in which public libraries can get involved in supporting K-12 OER efforts, the level in which academic library resource sharing may be involved, and how librarians in general can be advocates of the open movement.