There are many ways for academic libraries to incorporate open access books, journals, and databases into their collections and make these materials available to patrons.

oer in discovery layer search results

• Use open access resources that come with your discovery layer package. For example, EBSCO Discovery Service indexes repositories like the Directory of Open Access Journals.
• Activate additional open access materials in your discovery layer. You can subscribe to journals and databases via your discovery layer's knowledge base, or you can upload data for other library holdings into the discovery layer. For example, JSTOR provides instructions to users for how to access that data.
• Bulk upload item records for an open database to your catalog. For open databases that are not directly available through your discovery layer package or the knowledge base, you can download a batch of MARC records for the entire resource. Adding those records to your catalog will make them findable for users searching in the discovery layer. For example, the Open Textbook Library provides MARC record batch instructions, and this video goes over the entire process for adding external databases to a catalog in Koha using this approach.

on the library website

• Direct users toward a full list of your library's databases, including open access options. For example, it is the first link beneath the discovery layer search bar on Simmons University Library's homepage.
• Create a landing page on your library's site to highlight the importance of OER for students and faculty.
• Create a research guide about OER to educate patrons. See this engaging example from CUNY Graduate Center's Mina Rees Library.

Academic libraries should consider creating and implementing collection development policies and procedures for open access materials. See this example from the University of California Libraries.