In its latest statement, The Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) outlines the “clear social and economic benefits” open education brings to HE and to society in general.
The term 'open education' covers a range of educational practices, activities, and technologies. Open education (OE) removes barriers to learning by engaging in open education practices (OEP) in the classroom and through the development and use of open educational resources (OER).
The contribution of research libraries"The OE landscape owes much of its growth to the ... collaborative relationship between the different stakeholder groups that play a central part in developing and promoting these tools. With their unique expertise, academic library staff and librarians are well positioned within this community to be drivers of OE through responsive services to faculty and students that can impact issues of retention, equity, and financial vulnerability.
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"CARL encourages academic institutions to consider the positive impacts the library can offer to this relevant and emerging area and the needs of the library in supporting positions and services to develop OE on campuses across Canada. As with other open initiatives, certain aspects of engagement and sustainability remain uncertain. In the case of OEP, training and support is often needed to develop learning environments where openness is a fundamental principle. In the case of OER, incentives are often needed to encourage faculty to produce and review open content. OE activities need to be recognised as part of tenure and promotion structures in order for OE to be sustainable. CARL is committed to supporting library staff and librarians in developing their knowledge and skills in OE as they advocate on their own campuses for an increased understanding and acknowledgement of this work and expertise."
Full statement from CARL.