Washington University in St. Louis’s DI2 Accelerator Award for Open Educational Resources
2026 Library Publishing Showcase Week: Saving Students Money Through OER
DI2 Accelerator Award for Open Educational Resources
The Scholarly Communications & Digital Publishing (ScholPub) department at WashU Libraries presented a proposal to the university’s Digital Intelligence & Innovation Accelerator (DI2) to fund instructors developing Open Educational Resources (OER). The DI2 Accelerator Award offered three funding tiers for adopting, adapting, or creating OER, and ultimately supported eight projects.
Describe the impact of your resource?
The program has increased campus engagement with OER by supporting faculty in creating resources for WashU courses. Impact is tracked through downloads, views, and instructor feedback. It has strengthened the university-wide OER Interest Group, fostered cross-campus collaboration, and positioned the Libraries as a key partner in advancing teaching, learning, and affordability.
Why library publishing?
Hosting a publishing program through the Libraries provides a central point of access for the entire university, supporting projects across schools and regardless of faculty, staff, or student affiliation. Library staff collaborate with subject librarians, provide platforms, training, copyright guidance, cataloging, technical support, and long-term preservation. This infrastructure enables broader participation and ensures high-quality, sustainable publications—resources often unavailable outside the library. Prospective authors and editors receive hands-on support, training in digital publishing tools, troubleshooting assistance, and guidance from project start to finish, helping their work succeed while navigating the publishing process with confidence.