There are many different types of open licenses, OER users must be careful of the fine print about how the material can be reused, adapted, or distributed. OER do not follow the traditional rules of copyright although there are still guidelines for what you can and cannot do. This depends on the license given to each resource; there are currently six Creative Commons licenses, each with varying levels of openness. Understanding the licenses may seem a bit intimidating and complicated at first glance but the Library’s Open Educational Guide can help make sense of it all. This guide will provide you with the basics of OER, how open resources are licensed, how to use Creative Commons licensed work, and how to properly attribute creators.
Additionally, the presentation below will walk you through the various licenses to help you determine which license works best for you.