Open Education Network (OEN)

MCLS & Open Education Network (OEN): Partnership to Advance Open Education

MCLS has joined the Open Education Network (OEN) as a consortial member effective July 1. A recognized leader in helping academic institutions advocate and advance open at their colleges and universities, OEN utilizes a proven program to engage with faculty in the review and development of open education textbooks. This membership allows MCLS to stay current with Open Education efforts and offers multiple benefits to MCLS academic member libraries, including:

• Option for libraries to join OEN as an individual allied member for $525 per year (regular fiscal year institution OEN membership costs $1,575 per year). Individual allied members work directly with OEN staff to incorporate the OEN model at their institutions. Allied membership includes the following specific benefits:
  • Access to Open Textbook Library reviews
  • Access to OEN Data Dashboard (used to manage and track OEN training and activity)
  • Participation in a OEN Community of Practice and Community Hub
  • Participation in the OEN Summit and the OEN Publishing Cooperative
  • Receive member-pricing for OEN programs such as the Certificate in OER Librarianship
  • Opportunity to utilize the OEN PressbooksEDU Sandbox Project
  • Eligibility for Pressbooks EDU Discount (offered at vendor discretion)
  • Open to libraries who are current OEN members at next renewal
• Any MCLS academic library that is not an OEN member may utilize the OEN framework at their institution through MCLS. For non-Allied members, MCLS serves as the connector and coordinator with OEN. Benefits for this arrangement include:
  • Access to Open Textbook Library reviews
  • Access to OEN Data Dashboard (used to manage and track OEN training and activity)
  • Participation in a OEN Community of Practice and Community Hub (select access)
  • Participation in the OEN Summit and the OEN Publishing Cooperative
  • Opportunity to utilize the OEN PressbooksEDU Sandbox Project (5 projects)

To encourage OEN Allied membership and support Open Education initiatives at campuses across Indiana and Michigan, MCLS offered sponsorships for OEN Allied memberships. Congratulations to the following seven Michigan academic libraries who were awarded sponsorships in September 2021:

• Davenport University
• Delta College
• Ferris State University
• Kalamazoo College
• Michigan Technological University
• Northern Michigan University
• Oakland University

MCLS will provide 50% of the cost for each membership for these libraries over the next two years. Each library will pay the other 50% which totals to $262.50 per year.

In early 2022, MCLS will launch its OEN services for non-allied members, providing opportunities for libraries to access OEN resources and services through a MCLS member-based community.

Questions regarding MCLS & OEN should be sent to Stephanie D. Davis, MCLS eLicensing and Collection Resources Manager at daviss@mcls.org or 517-489-4577.