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Open Educational Resources (OERs) are increasingly recognized in higher education for offering more accessible, affordable, and flexible learning materials. The growth and development of OERs in higher education institutions depends on the efforts of various stakeholders. As a key stakeholder group in the OER landscape of higher education, academic librarians have taken on a critical role in leading OER initiatives on college and university campuses. Understanding the perspectives of academic librarian stakeholders and their contributions to OERs can provide essential insights into the role of academic libraries in the engagement, growth, and promotion of OERs within U.S. higher education. This dissertation research represents one of the few empirical studies that enhance our understanding of academic library involvement in OERs by examining the factors that influence academic library administrators in making OERs available.
Building on previous research on Rogers’ diffusion of innovations (2003), this mixed-methods study examines the attributes of OERs and the institutional factors influencing academic library OER initiatives. The findings indicate a significant association between library support for OER initiatives and library administrators’ perceptions of the relative advantages of OERs and the observability of OERs. Additionally, the study reveals that institutional missions, advocacy, strategic plans, pedagogical support, financial support, faculty tenure and promotion, and ethical considerations are positively correlated with library OER initiatives. These results support the overarching hypotheses of this study, suggesting that OER attributes and institutional factors are interconnected with academic library OER initiatives. Lastly, the findings indicate that library administrators believe various factors—including the economic benefits of OERs, institutional advocacy, faculty support, and quality assurance of OERs—will influence the future of OERs, which is crucial for the long-term success of OERs in higher education.
The findings of this study offer strong theoretical implications for the diffusion of innovations as a comprehensive framework for examining the adoption of OERs in academic libraries. The results provide valuable, practical insights into how academic libraries support OERs, deepening our understanding of their complex and multifaceted role in developing and advancing OERs in higher education.