Open Educational Resources (OER) at Montana State University

Open education is a vast, diverse, and ever expanding field of higher education. It includes everything from texts, to journals and science publications, to interactive simulations and multi-media. That can be a lot to sift through. The Library is here to help.  We've compiled some of the best resources available.  To help you get started, check out what Montana faculty are using or the highest reviewed texts by Montana CCN.

Open textbooks are free, online learning materials with Creative Commons licenses. Many of the collections will have links to the same books.  If you cannot find what you are looking for or just want some help getting started, let us know!  Our faculty are ready to here to support you.  Schedule a time to chat with us about your needs.

What is an Open Textbook? An open textbook is an openly-licensed textbook offered online by its author(s). The open license sets open textbooks apart from traditional textbooks by allowing users to read online, download, or print the book at no additional cost.

An open license allows users:

• to use the textbook without compensating the author 
• to copy the textbook, with appropriate credit to the author  
• to distribute the textbook non-commercially
• to shift the textbook into another format (such as digital or print)

Many authors also grant rights such as:

• to add, remove or alter content in the textbook, often on the condition that derivative works must have the same license                            
• to copy and distribute the textbook without giving credit to the author to use the textbook commercially

• Open Textbook Library

  Created by the University of Minnesota to support development of high-quality open textbooks in various subjects, peer-reviewed and diverse content.
• LibreTexts

  The next generation of open-access texts, with options for audio formats, interactive and 3D ancillary materials, and even textbook conversion to Spanish.
• Pressbooks Directory

  Listing of university press and other institutional publishing across North America.
• BC Campus OpenEd

  Open textbooks for the 40 highest enrolled first- and second-year subject areas in the British Columbia's public, post-secondary system.
• Openstax College

  Initiated by Rice University, their free textbooks are developed and peer-reviewed to ensure they meet the scope and sequence requirements of college courses.
• State University of New York (SUNY) Open Textbooks

  With the initiative of the SUNY Libraries, Open SUNY Textbooks publishes high-quality, peer-reviewed textbooks for use in higher education.