Library Policy: OERs & Libguides

Policy for OER Hosting on the GHC Libguides

Posted September 28, 2023

The GHC Library is happy to host OER content on our Springshare LibGuides platform. The policies and procedures below help ensure consistency and content perpetuation.

1. LibGuide Setup:
   1. Guide Type: OER
   2. Group: OER
   3. Status: Public
   4. Friendly URL should include course number (ie: ENGL1101, MATH1113)
   5. Creative Commons license and authors/creators contact information should be on the home page

2. LibGuide Creation:
   1. All active guides must have a primary editor.
      1. The primary editor should be on the grant team.
   2. If the primary editor leaves or is no longer associated with the guide, they need to notify the school Chair to designate a replacement editor.
      1. The library will ensure the replacement editor has training on using libguides.
   3. If a librarian is the content creator and the guide is later handed off to the faculty, the librarian may assign a partnering faculty member to be primary editor. Optionally, the librarian may request the school Chair to designate a new editor.

3. LibGuide Updating:
   1. Faculty are responsible for any updates, changes, or corrections.
   2. Substantial updates must have a revision notice to alert users when content was changed.
      1. Having a page at the end, or a subpage of the home page, called “Revision History” is recommended.

4. LibGuide Archiving:
   1. If the OER is no longer being used and the library wishes to remove it from the local platform, the content should be sent to Affordable Learning Georgia (ALG) for preservation on their LibGuides instance.
   2. The library should consult the school’s Dean or Chair before the archiving decision is made.
   3. Determining removal:
      1. When there is no usage for a 1-year period:
         1. Transfer a copy of the guide to ALG.
         2. Delete the GHC instance.
      2. When no GHC faculty are using the guide, but there is usage:
         1. Keep the guide active on the GHC instance and assign it to the default “editor” (in GHC’s case, Iwanna Book is the default).
         2. Transfer a copy of the guide to ALG.
         3. Make a new box on the home page (or add to the Revision History box) and include:
            1. Archived by [Library Staff Person’s Name], date.
            2. Notification of the new ALG link.
            3. The date it will be deleted from the GHC instance (6 months after the new link is posted).