What are Open Access resources?
Open Access resources are research materials that are free to read online—no library or individual subscription required. Many Open Access materials are also openly licensed for sharing and reuse. To learn more about Open Access, visit Foley’s Open Access Research Guide.
How to locate Open Access resources
While you can find Open Access resources through search engines like Google, there are many Open Access repositories you can search in directly. If you’re looking for open access books, try the Directory of Open Access Books. If you’re looking for Open Access journal articles, try the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). Consult the Open Access Research Guide for additional resources.
What are Open Educational Resources?
Open Educational Resources (OER) are materials used for a teaching and learning purpose that are always free to read online, download, edit, and reuse without restrictions. To learn more about OER, visit Foley’s Open Educational Resources Guide.
How to locate Open Educational Resources
While you can find OERs through search engines like Google, there are many OER repositories available that allow you to conduct a more targeted search. For a list of suggested OER repositories, consult the Find OER page on the Open Educational Resources Guide.
Questions?
If you have questions about whether a particular resource is considered open access or an OER, or about how to find these types of resources in a particular area, please contact a librarian.