Open Educational Resources

OER Week @ Wake Tech

Presentation: Your OER Treasure Map

     Course Reserves

Course reserves are textbooks and other materials that students may use in the library. 

• Textbooks. Faculty or departments provide current copies of textbooks. The Libraries currently cannot purchase textbooks due to budget limitations. Providing copies of textbooks saves students from having to purchase a copy of the textbook themselves.
• Nontraditional Course Texts. Examples include novels or DVDs. These may be provided by faculty or may already be a part of the Libraries' collections. 
• Supplemental Materials. Examples include exam study guides or books related to a course topic. These may be provided by faculty or may be pulled from the Libraries' collections.

     Devices & Technology

Wake Tech Libraries have a variety of devices and other technology for students to use.

• Computers. Each library has desktop computers for students to use, each with printing capabilities.
• Laptops. The library has a limited number of laptops that students may check out. 
• Hotspots. For students without Internet access, the library has a limited number of hotspots for student checkout.
• iPads. At the RTP Library, students may checkout an iPad for on-campus use. 
• Group Study Rooms. Rooms equipped with computers and webcams are available for students who need to collaborate and/or attend a meeting.
• Headphones & Phone Chargers. Available for in-library use. 

   Using Library Resources-

The Libraries purchase books and database subscriptions every year at no cost to the students. Much of this content--books, ebooks, journals, reports, videos, and more--can be used as course content.

• Books. Physical books in the Libraries' collections can be put on reserve as required or supplemental course texts. To see our physical collections, search the Library Catalog (opens in new window). 
• eBooks. The library has access to over 200,000 ebooks. To see what's available, visit our Library Databases Page (opens in new window) and scroll down to eBook Collections.  If you're interested in using one of the library ebooks as a course text, please email Megan Rudolph at mrudolph@waktech.edu. 
• Library Databases. Through Wake Tech Libraries, students have access to over 100 databases containing thousands of scholarly journals, newspapers, reports, and more. Individual databases are listed on our Library Database Page (opens in new window). 
• Videos. Films On Demand (opens in new window) contains over 45,000 videos on a wide range of topics. These videos can be embedded into Blackboard. 

     Library Services

The librarians are available to help faculty in a variety of ways:

• Help in Locating Open Textbooks. If you want to use an open textbook, the librarians can help you search through repositories.
• Collecting Content. Librarians are available to do the work of searching library resources (and beyond) for course content. If you have a course or topic with which you'd like help in searching for resources, reach out to a librarian.
• Book Purchase Requests. While the library does not purchase traditional textbooks, we may be able to purchase other books and materials to add to the library's collection. To request an item for purchase, contact your Campus Librarian or fill out the Library Acquisition Request Form (opens in new window).
• Research Guides. If you have a lot of content and want to organize it in one place, you can work with a librarian to create a course guide (opens in new window). 

Contact the Libraries

For more information about any of the above resources or services, reach out to Megan Rudolph at mrudolph@waketech.edu or contact your Campus Library (opens in new window).