OER Repositories and Tips for Searching

If you wish to do your own searches for OER, there are a variety of repositories available to discover more resources.

Keep these points in mind when searching for OER:

OER repositories are often multidisciplinary.
Resources come in a variety of types and formats.
Not all repositories are created equal. Those that offer mediated deposit usually have more accurate cataloguing details or metadata. Also, some offer filters and reviews to help refine search results.
The quality of the metadata associated with each resource will vary greatly, which can make it difficult to apply filters or perform a federated search.
Some OER repositories include resources that are “free” but not necessarily “open”.
You may not find an exact replacement for the commercial resource you are currently using. Some adaptations and the use of more than one OER may be required.

Search by discipline or subject first.
If searching by keyword, start with broader concepts and then narrow down using discipline-specific terms and/or limiters available on the platform.
If available, use the “advanced search” function.
Look for a copyright notice, conditions of use, or a licence to confirm if the resource is not just “free” but also “open”.

Here are some of the repositories used for this guide:

LibreTexts (multidisciplinary)

OpenStax (multidisciplinary)

Milne Open Textbooks (formerly OpenSUNY) (multidisciplinary)

Lumen Learning (multidisciplinary)

OER Commons (multidisciplinary)

MERLOT (multidisciplinary)