Updated OER Publishing Toolkits

At the Open Education Network (OEN) community’s September Tea Time, the Publishing Cooperative Advisory Group announced it has completed revisions to the OER Publishing Toolkit. Since forming in 2023, the Advisory Group has been working to update and expand the existing toolkit into two new openly licensed toolkits, which are now available for those interested in publishing open educational resources (OER). Nearly all of the resources have been created, shared and adapted by Open Education Network members over the course of many years.

“Our main purpose with this project was to provide OER leaders a toolkit consisting of resources to help them with planning an OER project or program,” explains Stefanie Buck of Oregon State University, and Co-Chair of the Advisory Group. “We went back and forth for quite a while before deciding it would make more sense to have two toolkits, since not everyone has an official publishing ‘program.’ 

The first of these, the OER Publishing Project Toolkit, focuses on supporting staff who help faculty authors at the project level. The Project Toolkit’s robust resources include adaptable templates, style guides, tutorials, checklists, author guidelines, and ready-to-use forms that bolster efficiency for librarians and project facilitators. 

The OEN is a community of people who take action, and commonly create and share resources with one another. The Advisory Group wanted to gather those resources into a useful structure and act as their steward when appropriate. 

Through the toolkits, the community is sharing not only their work, but also thoughtful recommendations and prompts to help colleagues stay on track during the publishing process which, at times, can be quite involved.

“I hope the toolkits will simplify the work of project managers,” said Daniela Dutra Elliott of Leeward Community College and Advisory Group member. “The Project Toolkit, for example, offers templates and resources that provide a clear, step-by-step process as projects evolve. On my campus we will be using these resources to provide better support to our faculty working on various OER projects.”

Better support begins with timely access to information. Thus, the Advisory Group chose to organize the toolkits chronologically, in project phases, making it easier to locate answers and visualize the publishing workflow.

“We organized it in the order in which the documents would likely be used,” said Stefanie. “For leaders starting a new program or project, they can use not just the templates and guides, but follow the toolkit outline. We did not want to create just a repository of documents, but also provide a structure.”

The Project Toolkit’s structure begins with the Author Consultation Phase and Writing Prep Phase. That phase includes Faculty Author FAQs, Textbook Elements, Editorial Style Sheets, and an OER Content Tracker spreadsheet. Four additional phases - Writing, Production/Publication, Marketing, and Maintenance – complete the toolkit with pertinent resources.

The Advisory Group’s toolkit overhaul also produced a new OER Publishing Program Toolkit for librarians and staff who manage publishing programs. This second toolkit is intended to help a project manager structure, implement and assess open textbook publishing programs at a managerial level.

Resources are categorized according to three development phases: Planning, Implementation, and Assessment & Review. Progressing through each phase, readers browse resources that inform decisions on Staffing, Budgets, Calls for Proposals, Author Agreements, Publishing Platforms, Contracts & Grants, and Author Consultations, and more.

Discerning questions prompt managers to weigh options and consider possibilities. For example, “Based on budget, how many projects can you support?” “Will you have an advisory committee or editorial board?” “What publishing tools will you provide and/or support?” 

“For me, this is all very relevant,” said Jeanne Kambara, University of Delaware OER Publishing Librarian who is currently managing a publishing program launch. Jeanne anticipated creating publishing resources on their own, but has been able to glean guidance from the toolkit and appreciates the community’s help. “We have a great group of people who already have that experience, and they’ve created these resources based on it,” Jeanne said. “It’s very good timing for me. Thank you!”

Both publishing toolkits are linked on the OEN Open Textbook Publishing webpage. OEN members can also access them in the OEN Community Hub. The Advisory Group welcomes comments and resource suggestions to improve the toolkits. Please share your recommendations using the OEN Publishing Toolkits Feedback Form.