Gratitude for OER

Why Gratitude for OER

Creating an OER is in some respects a labor of love. One might consider it to be a high-risk, high-reward endeavour. “High-risk” because it involves publishing outside traditional norms and support structures, putting one’s intellectual and creative content into the world with fewer controls over its distribution and adaptation, and often requiring a greater-than-average amount of labor to bring the OER to publication. However, it is also “high-reward”; namely because one is providing increased access to the work, increasing the flexibility of its use, and building in mechanisms for faster future updates.

With that in mind, it is worth recognizing and celebrating the faculty who dedicate themselves to building open educational resources. Use the templates in this toolkit and review the recommendations below to identify ways that you can celebrate the labor (and laborers) of OERs with gratitude.

What Gratitude for OER Can Look Like

Start by identifying places where recognition already happens on your campus (e.g., faculty meetings, newsletters, annual reports, awards ceremonies, promotion, and tenure dossiers) and consider how you can celebrate OERs in those spaces. Examples of “S.M.A.R.T.” (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) goals that show gratitude for OERs might include:

• Public acknowledgment of OER authors: Within one semester, publicly recognize at least one faculty member or instructional team who has adopted, adapted, or created an OER through an existing channel (e.g., department meeting, newsletter, website, or social media post), and explicitly frame the work as scholarly or pedagogical labor.
• Formal letters of appreciation: By the end of the academic year, provide individualized letters of recognition to at least two OER contributors that they can include in annual reviews, promotion dossiers, or teaching portfolios. This could be paired with annual awards (see “Extra Credit” below).
• Celebrating impact: Within one year of publication, highlight at least one measurable outcome of an OER (e.g., number of students reached, cost savings ,or adaptations by others) and share this impact story through campus communications or stakeholder briefings.
• Peer-to-peer recognition opportunities: Before the end of the semester, create at least one opportunity for faculty or students to publicly thank an OER contributor (e.g., during Open Education Week; using short testimonials, quotes, or reflections; whiteboards).
• Building gratitude into events: During Open Education Week or another academic milestone (e.g., some libraries recognize faculty publications or promotions), host a brief recognition moment that thanks OER contributors by name. This could also be done as a website, LibGuide, or social media graphic.

EXTRA CREDIT! Integration into teaching and learning awards: Within twelve months, collaborate with a teaching and learning center or academic affairs office to ensure that OER-related work is explicitly named as eligible evidence for at least one existing teaching, innovation, or engagement award. Or, create your own award!

These actions send an important signal about what kinds of labor “count” at your institution, helping to reduce the perception that OER work is “risky” or “extracurricular.” It is also worth noting that gratitude does not need to be limited to faculty. Librarians, instructional designers, students, and staff contribute substantial invisible labor to OER projects. Thoughtful recognition of this collaborative work can strengthen cross-campus relationships and reinforce the reality that OER work is often a shared endeavor.

Gratitude bridges the gap between awareness and action. Awareness tells people what OERs are and why they matter; gratitude communicates that the people who do this work are valued and seen. Over time, consistent recognition can make OER work feel more like an essential and supported component of academic life.

Key Audiences and What They Need to Hear

While the core message of “this work matters” should remain a constant, the way you articulate gratitude should reflect what each group values and needs. Some examples of key messaging could include:

• Student Perspective:
  • Faculty who create or use OER are actively investing in your success.
  • OERs are intentionally designed to improve learning and access.
  • Your instructors’ labor (and passion) has made education more affordable and equitable.
  • Student voices can help sustain open education efforts.
• Faculty Perspective:
  • This work is real scholarly and pedagogical labor.
  • Your time and expertise are recognized.
  • OER creation and adaptation align with professional values and/or values around justice.
  • Your work should be documented as evidence of innovation, leadership, and service.
  • Your institution sees and supports this work.
• Administrator or Staff Perspective:
  • OER contributors are advancing institutional priorities (e.g., access, equity, student success, innovation, or justice).
  • Recognizing this work sustains faculty engagement.
  • Recognizing this work supports recruitment, retention, and institutional reputation.
  • OER efforts reflect positively on cross-unit collaborations.

Questions for Reflection

• How is academic or creative labor currently recognized at your institution? Where could OER work fit within those structures? What would it look like for gratitude to become embedded in those structures rather than remaining siloed?
• Whose OER labor is currently invisible or under-recognized on your campus? (and yes, the answer could be you!) What is one small, achievable action you could take this term to express gratitude for OER contributors?
• What values or priorities (think: strategic plans) should you emphasize to ensure that OER recognition resonates with your stakeholders?
• How would you adapt your messages of gratitude for different audiences (e.g., students, faculty, administrators)

Assets You Can Use to Show OER Gratitude

Select the title or image for each asset’s guidance and templates.

Showing OER Gratitude Assets

Sample	Asset
	Sticker and Magnet Templates Short, punchy designs (e.g., “Thanks for free knowledge!”) students can place on laptops/water bottles to publicly thank OER-using instructors.
	Postcard Templates Handwritten cards with a brief gratitude prompt and space to share how the no-cost text helped with access, learning, or belonging.
	Button Templates Wearable mini-billboards—“Proud OER Student” or “$0 Textbook Crew”—that spark hallway conversations and celebrate open access.
	Email Templates Copy-and-paste messages students can send to instructors or department chairs expressing thanks, noting impact (cost savings, learning), and encouraging more OER adoption.