By 2030, Deakin Library aspires for all students to have barrier-free access to essential curriculum resources. But our institutional systems, policies and practices weren’t designed with that goal in mind.
Historically, curriculum resource provision has been shaped without sufficient consideration of affordability and access. Cost, licensing, rights management, and the opportunities open resources afford student-centred learning are not consistently factored into resource choice. Open Education is identified in institutional strategy, yet efforts remain fragmented and not fully integrated into curriculum governance.
Policy change in 2025 prioritised barrier-free curriculum resources in curriculum design and delivery, marking a significant shift for the organisation. This prompted Deakin Library to assess current barriers and deliver a multi-year institutional roadmap for implementation to achieve our ‘barrier-free’ vision.
This lightning talk outlines our approach and key findings.
Attendees of this session will be able to:- Identify how libraries can effectively frame current state challenges in ways their institutions can understand and engage with.
- Apply road-mapping as a strategic tool to translate ambitious access and affordability goals into achievable institutional actions.
- Articulate the strategic value of OER as a sustainable, institution wide investment rather than a siloed initiative.
