Q. I found an Open Educational Resource (OER) or open textbook that may be suitable to reuse for my curriculum. How do I evaluate it?

To evaluate the appropriateness of an open textbook or Open Educational Resource (OER) content, check:

• Suitability: Does it align with course or program learning outcomes?
• Licensing: Is the OER licensed for educational reuse, revision, remix or redistribution?
• Quality: Who is the creator? Are they reputable? Is the content accurate and up-to-date?
• Ease of use: Is the OER easy to use, accessible, and available in alternative formats to assist a wide variety of learning styles?

The Western Open Books Quick Start Guide includes an OER Evaluation Checklist you can download and use to help you decide whether the OER content is appropriate for your purposes.

Citing an open textbook is like citing any online textbook. Therefore, as the author and publisher of an open textbook, it is your responsibility to provide a complete reference by including the required elements of the citation style you use.

Contact your School Librarian for more information about the Western Open Books service.

For publishing support with your open textbook, submit your query through the Western Open Books form.