Myth #1: Open simply means free
Fact: Open means the permission to freely download, edit, and share materials to better serve all students
Myth #2: All OER are digital
Fact: OER take many formats, including print, digital, audio, and more
Myth #3: “You get what you pay for”
Fact: OER can be produced to the same quality standards as traditional textbooks
Myth #4: Copyright for OER is complicated
Fact: Open licensing makes OER easy to freely and legally use
Myth #5: OER are not sustainable
Fact: Models are evolving to support the sustainability and continuous improvement of OER
Myth #6: Open textbooks lack ancillaries
Fact: Open textbooks often come with ancillaries, and when they do not, existing OER can provide additional support
SPARC (2017). OER Mythbusting. Washington, DC: SPARC. sparcopen.org/our-work/oer-mythbusting
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