Course Materials Affordability and Open Educational Resources (OER)

David Wiley describes the principles of open content as:

The terms “open content” and “open educational resources” describe any copyrightable work (traditionally excluding software, which is described by other terms like “open source”) that is either (1) in the public domain or (2) licensed in a manner that provides everyone with free and perpetual permission to engage in the 5R activities:

1. Retain – make, own, and control a copy of the resource (e.g., download and keep your own copy)
2. Revise – edit, adapt, and modify your copy of the resource (e.g., translate into another language)
3. Remix – combine your original or revised copy of the resource with other existing material to create something new (e.g., make a mashup)
4. Reuse – use your original, revised, or remixed copy of the resource publicly (e.g., on a website, in a presentation, in a class)
5. Redistribute – share copies of your original, revised, or remixed copy of the resource with others (e.g., post a copy online or give one to a friend)

OER Mythbusting: Collaboratively developed resource dispelling the most common OER myths.

GoOpen Connecticut: OER Resources from the State of Connecticut.

Under principles of Fair Use, many of the resources the library already licenses electronically may be shared with your students as course material.

The Library maintains a table of Guidelines for Sharing Course Materials, indicating in general which resources can be linked in Moodle, distributed in class, placed on course reserve, etc.

You can search OneSearch for many of the electronic books and articles that the Library licenses. You may also search directly through one of our individual databases (such as JSTOR, Academic Search Premier, etc.).

When distributing links to students directly (via email) or indirectly (via Moodle), you can create persistent links from the Library's catalog, OneSearch. If you are using a link to one of our licensed resources, you may need to add the Library's proxy link to the URL to have students authenticate when using an off-campus network.

The Library will purchase or make available books, videos, and other materials from its collections for course reserves. Digital content is the preferred format for most reserves, but print will be made available at the Library and IT desk. A chapter of a print book may be digitized for a class, upon request.

To make a course reserves request, use the help ticket system under Request Type = Library, then select Course Reserves & Streaming Video. Under "Location," you may indicate whether the library already owns the material, the library needs to purchase the material, or you will lend your personal copy (the Library may digitize a portion or put the full material on print course reserve).

Students may borrow physical materials on course reserve for 3 hours, in-Library use only.

Additional information, including our Streaming Video policy and other policies, can be found on our Course Materials page.

Course packets can be created using the Copyright Clearance Center's (CCC) RightFind Tool. (You will have to register as a new user if this is your first time creating a course packet.)

Trinity’s subscription to the CCC's RightFind service offers blanket copyright permissions for many sources to be used in course packets. Instructors can search the CCC database to see if their readings are covered by this license. If so, they can submit a digital copy of the course packet to the bookstore, and direct their students to purchase copies there. (Faculty participating in a pilot in Spring 2023 found their course packets ranged from $34-$55, depending on length).

Readings that are not covered by the CCC license can be shared with students according to the usual Fair Use Guidelines. See our guide to sharing course materials for more details.