Buttons
Explore the OER California Button Series and choose your favorites to customize for tabling, outreach, gratitude campaigns, and campus awareness events. (Flip through the templates by selecting the arrows above, hover to view the name each template, or select the four arrows at top right to see the full screen. Scroll down to access the templates.)
Introduction
“Make it simple. Make it memorable. Make it inviting to look at. Make it fun to read.” — Leo Burnett
Buttons can turn visible support into fun flair. Worn on a backpacks, jackets, or tote bags, they give students an easy way to express appreciation for instructors who use OER and allow anyone to help spread awareness of open education on campus. Designed to be bright, approachable, and easy to recognize from a distance, these buttons make it simple to carry the message of affordability and access into everyday campus life.
Below you will find the full button template set, ideas for how to use the buttons, a few real examples of buttons used in open education outreach, and guidance for adapting the designs for your own campus.
Ideas for Use
These buttons are an easy way to show support for OER, spark conversation, show appreciation for instructors who use OER, or make open education more visible on campus. Here are a few simple ways to use them:
- Share them at tables, workshops, showcases, or resource fairs as an easy way to introduce people to OER.
- Run a casual button station during Open Education Week or a library outreach event.
- Add a simple line to your sign such as: “Take one to show your support for open education.”
- Offer pre-made buttons from this set as a quick grab-and-go option.
- Invite students, staff, and faculty to choose and wear a button to build visibility across campus
- Pin one to a backpack, tote bag, jacket, or lanyard to spark conversation.
- Pair a button with a postcard, thank-you note, or other appreciation item as part of a gratitude or recognition effort.
Inspirations
Here is a real example of buttons being used in open education outreach and awareness activities.
Student/Staff Example: Emory Libraries
Who did it: Emory Libraries including Woodruff Library and Oxford Library.
What they did: During Open Education Week 2025, Emory Libraries invited campus community members to stop by and make buttons to show support for open education.
Why it worked: The activity offered a simple, visible way for people to participate in Open Education Week and publicly show support for open education.
How to adapt it with this button set:
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- Run a casual button station during Open Education Week or a library outreach event.
- Offer pre-made buttons from this set as a quick grab-and-go option.
- Invite students, staff, and faculty to choose a button and wear it that day to build visibility across campus.
- Add a simple line to your sign such as: “Take one to show your support for open education.”
Quick Tips for Button Messaging
- Keep the message short. Buttons work best with just a few words.
- Design for distance. Make sure the wording is readable and recognizable from a few feet away.
- Match message to size. The 1-inch buttons are best for very short phrases or symbols, while the 2.25-inch buttons can hold a few more words.
- Use them where people gather. Tabling events, library counters, student success centers, and campus celebrations are all strong choices.
- Pair them with conversation. A button can be a great opening for talking about OER, textbook affordability, or student gratitude.
Guidance and Templates
View the video or select the arrows to read the steps for customizing your buttons.
Get the templates
Button Templates in Canva
Select a button design from the Canva links below to open the editable template. The templates are free to use and adapt, but you’ll need to create and sign in to a free Canva account to customize and download your buttons. To begin using the template, select View template. Once you sign in to your account, you may then be prompted to Open in Editor. The button templates each come in two sizes – 1″ diameter and 2.25″ diameter. If your message includes more than a few words, the 2.25-inch version will usually be easier to read.
1″ Diameter Button Templates
- Button_JoshTree_OER_1
- Button_Forest_OER_1
- Button_Poppy_OER_1
- Button_SoNorNoCost_BeigeCircle_1
- Button_SoNorNoCost_GreenCircle_1
- Button_SoNorNoCost_BlueCircle_1
2.25″ Diameter Button Templates
- Button_JoshTree_OER_2.25
- Button_Forest_OER_2.25
- Button_Poppy_OER_2.25
- Button_SoNorNoCost_BeigeCircle_2.25
- Button_SoNorNoCost_GreenCircle_2.25
- Button_SoNorNoCost_BlueCircle_2.25
Need more options for adapting your asset template?
Once you’ve created your free Canva account and signed in, you can open the Growing Your OER Starter Kit alongside any asset template to copy and paste colors, graphics, icons, photos, and design elements to help your version stay within the OER-California branding theme.
Customize your button
Step 1. Open the button in Canva and choose how to use it.
Use the Canva template links above to open your button design in Canva. Once the template opens, decide whether you want to:
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- Customize the design in Canva
- Keep it as-is and just download it (skip to step 3)
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Step 2: Adapt your button.
If you are adapting the button in Canva, you might:
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- Add your campus logo or program name
- Adapt the language to fit your audience
- Choose a different tagline that fits your event or campaign
- Remix visual elements for a related awareness series
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The tagline text is editable in Canva. Feel free to change it to match your audience, event, or message. Here are some suggested taglines:
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- Learning Is Growing
- Rooted in Open
- Plant Seeds, Not Fees
- Ask me about OER
- Open Education Blooms Here
- Bee Open
- Together We Grow Open
- Proud OER Creator
- Open Books. Open Minds.
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You can also open the Growing Your OER Starter Kit in Canva to copy in colors, fonts, icons, and other design elements from the OER California theme.
Step 3. Download your file.
When you’re ready to print, download your button design from Canva. To download, select the Share button at the top right of the screen [1] and then select Download [2].
From the File type drop-down menu, select PNG [3].
Then, select Download [4], and your file will be downloaded to your device.
Step 4. Check the size before producing the buttons.
Before making a full batch, print a paper proof at actual size or, if working with a vendor, ask for a proof.
Check the proof to ensure:
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- The text is readable
- The artwork looks balanced
- Nothing important sits too close to the edge
- The design works at the finished button size
Tip: If the design looks crowded at actual size, go back into Canva and make the text shorter, enlarge the most important element, or remove small details.
Step 5. Make or order the buttons.
Once your design is ready, choose how you want to produce the buttons.
Option A: Make the buttons yourself.
Before purchasing equipment, check with your campus graphics or print services department, student life office, or makerspace to see if a button maker is already available. Many campuses have shared equipment that can be used for events or student activities.
If you plan to make buttons regularly and do not have access to a campus tool, you may consider purchasing a button maker kit. Look for a kit that matches your button size, such as 1 inch or 2.25 inch. For example, some multi-size starter kits include 1 inch and 2.25 inch button parts, while professional 2.25 inch kits are also available from button-making suppliers.
Option B: Order from a printer or button company.
If you only need buttons occasionally, it may be easier to upload your design to a vendor that prints and presses the buttons for you. When comparing vendors, check the available sizes, minimum order quantity, turnaround time, proofing process, and whether they accept your file type. Several custom button companies offer common sizes such as 1 inch and 2.25 inch round buttons.
Tip: Before ordering a full batch, ask for a digital proof or print a paper mockup at actual size to check readability.
