The rising cost of academic resources continues to be a defining challenge for many students pursuing higher education. Open Educational Resources (OER) offer one potential solution to reducing these barriers by providing affordable and accessible learning materials. This working group aims to better understand the current state of OER initiatives across MOBIUS higher education institutions. To support this effort, a survey was distributed to librarians across the consortium to gather information about institutional participation in OER initiatives. Survey responses identified several common barriers to OER adoption, including limited funding, lack of time, and insufficient awareness or training.
The goal of this working group is to collect and analyze data regarding OER efforts in order to better understand the needs of MOBIUS members. Based on these findings, the group will explore ways MOBIUS can provide meaningful support through OER services, resources, and professional development opportunities. During this session, we will share the results of the initial survey and facilitate an open discussion with attendees about their experiences, perspectives, and recommendations regarding OER.
The MOBIUS Consortium’s Cataloging Committee has implemented a peer mentoring network to facilitate collegial support in the cataloger role. The project is in its first phase, and the committee is preparing to evaluate and expand the project. This presentation describes implementation of the project, its current progress, future development, and ways the project could be adapted for use in other professional areas.
Artificial intelligence is transforming how researchers discover scholarly literature, often bypassing traditional library linking systems and creating new challenges for accessing full text. This session explores gaps between library subscriptions and actual access, the limitations of link resolvers, and how emerging tools—especially AI platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, and Consensus—are changing discovery workflows while often failing to connect users to full text. It also examines strategies for embedding library access into these environments and addresses the growing issue of AI-generated or inaccurate citations, highlighting the evolving role of librarians in supporting access and information integrity.
