When and why did you first begin using OER?

I started using OER in Fall 2025, when I changed my MSW-level course name and focus from Diversity and Oppression to Strengths-Focused Social Work Practice. I shifted the class emphasis to the strengths of the different groups social work students work with. I also needed to update the readings each semester. The existing textbooks didn’t have the content I wanted and I couldn’t update the readings for each unit each semester. Switching to OER was the best option for this class and for our students.

What is the greatest impact you have seen?

I have enjoyed including more diverse voices in the readings I assign. Students get to hear from multiple authors with different perspectives. I also appreciate the ability to change the readings for each unit each semester. The students have appreciated not having to pay for a textbook.

If you could describe OER in one sentence, what would that be?

OER are accessible and flexible resources for both students and instructors. 

What formats do you use in your teaching practice?

I teach one section in-person and one section online, so I use several different formats. Both sections use the same readings. In my asynchronous online class, I use a mix of PPTs, video lectures, movies and documentaries, and small group exercises. In my main campus section, the class also engages in a lot of discussion and role-plays and holds class .

What advice would you give to someone wanting to start using OER?

Plan to spend extra time preparing for your class the first time you teach it with OER. Moving to OER from a traditional textbook, especially if you use several different sources, can be time-consuming the first time you use it, particularly if the sources you use don’t include instructor resources such as PPTs and test banks.

Profile Bio

Dr. Catherine Crisp, PhD, MSW, is an Associate Professor of Social Work at ÌÇÐÄVlog´«Ã½ Little Rock, where she teaches courses on the strengths perspective, groups, and families and works with students in community-based internships. She created the Gay Affirmative Practice (GAP) Scale, which has been used in more than 100 studies and translated into several languages. More recently, her research has focused on mental health and well-being among judges, lawyers, and law students.


Discover how OER can work in 
your classroom.

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Our Librarian Team empowers students, staff, and faculty across four core pillars: Identity, ÌÇÐÄVlog´«Ã½, Community, and Employment. 

Key support services include: 

• ±õ²Ô²õ³Ù°ù³Ü³¦³Ù¾±´Ç²Ô.Ìý
• Classroom and 1-on-1 sessions covering research strategies, source evaluation, ethical AI usage, and citations.Ìý
• Course & Research Support: Custom LibGuides, Blackboard modules, and guidance on scholarly publishing and Open Access.

Coming soon: Asynchronous resources via the Ottenheimer Library Blackboard Organization!

Meet Your Liaisons: 

• Mitch Bennett (DCSTEM Liaison): B.A. UW, M.A. Univ. of ArizonaÌý
• Emily Bowie (CBHHS Liaison): B.A. Hendrix College, M.S. Simmons Univ.
• Amie Johnson (CHASSE Liaison): B.A. Austin College, M.S. Univ. of OklahomaÌý
• Abrielle Spaletta (Scholarly Communications Librarian): B.A. UC Davis, M.A. San Jose StateÌý

Please find their contact information below: 

• Mitch Bennett
  • Email: mbennett1@ualr.eduÌý
• Emily Bowie
  • Email: ebowie1@ualr.edu
• Amie Johnson
  • Email: ajohnson14@ualr.eduÌý
• Abby Spaletta
  • Email: aspaletta1@ualr.edu

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Designed to break down departmental silos, Trojan Forge offers the campus community free access to specialized tools and equipment, ranging from 3D printers and vinyl cutters to podcasting setups, sewing machines, and electronics kits.

Fully Staffed and Ready to Serve

The space is now fully staffed and ready to assist visitors with their creative projects. Five former Student Library Vision Partners have transitioned into roles as official Makerspace staff members, joining student team members from both the Trojan Works and Federal Work Study programs.

Current Hours of Operation:

• Monday – Thursday: 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
• Friday: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
• Sunday: 1:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Additionally, individuals, campus groups, and classes can request customized tours and instructional sessions tailored to their projects or course goals.  Simply complete this request form: Makerspace Tour, Instruction & Project Request

Strong Campus Engagement

Campus adoption has been strong right out of the gate. Since opening, the Forge has welcomed 63 total users across 50 unique project visits, with 3D printing proving to be the most popular activity so far.

Hands on Learning: Meet & Make Series

Following the grand opening, the space hosted its first hands-on workshop, Meet & Make: 3D Printing 101, on Thursday, September 24. Led by Vision Partner Facilitator Brandon Sollars and the Student Library Vision Partners, 18 participants received a practical introduction to digital design and saw live 3D printing in action.

The team plans to host the next Meet & Make workshopThursday, October 22nd, from 6 to 7:30 pm. It will be a Costumes and Crafts night, where participants are invited to create costumes and Halloween-themed decorations using Forge materials. 

Keep an eye on upcoming library communications for future event dates and topics, or stop by the back of the Learning Commons to explore the space and schedule a tour!  Find details about the next Meet and Make and the Makerspace in general here: Trojan Forge Makerspace

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Ottenheimer Library is excited to introduce , ÌÇÐÄVlog´«Ã½ Little Rock’s new institutional repository and a new home for the university’s scholarly work. ScholarHub makes it easier for the university community to share, discover, preserve, and access scholarship.

For faculty, ScholarHub provides an opportunity to share research through open access, increasing its visibility and extending its reach to a broader audience. For students, it offers a place to preserve and share dissertations and theses, giving their scholarly work a lasting presence and making it accessible to others.

By bringing the university’s scholarship together in one place, ScholarHub supports ÌÇÐÄVlog´«Ã½ Little Rock’s commitment to open and shared scholarship and helps connect the work created by our faculty and students with audiences both on campus and beyond.

Supporting ScholarHub

Abrielle (Abby) Spaletta, Scholarly Communications Librarian, is serving as the Faculty Pilot for ScholarHub. Abby holds a B.A. from UC Davis and an M.A. from San Jose State University. She will also serve as the contact for Open Access support for FY26.

Christopher Stewart, Discovery and Metadata Coordinator, is the technical facilitator for the repository. 

Richard Culberson, Institutional Repository Specialist, is assisting with the project and supporting the development of the repository.

Celebrate the Launch!

All are welcome to celebrate the launch of ÌÇÐÄVlog´«Ã½ Little Rock’s new institutional repository!

Introducing ScholarHub: Open Access and the Pursuit of Shared Scholarship
Tuesday, October 13 | 12:30–1:30 p.m. | Dickenson 110

Join Ottenheimer Library to learn how ScholarHub supports open access, expands the reach of scholarship, and provides a place to share and discover university research.

Lunch and cake will be provided. .

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• When and why did you first begin using OER? I started using OER as a grad student. I recognized how financial burdens often limited a student’s ability to access certain courses that became prohibitively expensive through textbooks, materials, technology, and other things that seemed more like rent-seeking by textbook cartels. I wanted my students to focus on learning, not money.
• What is the greatest impact you have seen? Students tend to be surprised by what they can access for free using available resources online. Once they figure out how to break past the barrier of where to look for quality educational resources in language learning, students seem to feel like their learning is theirs. They don’t feel like their education comes with a license agreement anymore, and that alone makes a huge difference in their language learning.
• If you could describe OER in one sentence, what would that be? OER is the fulfillment of what education technology once promised–and what it could still become!
• What formats do you use in your teaching practice? Currently, we use an OER textbook designed at UT-Austin to help teach Spanish to Heritage Speakers. In the near future, we will be using a textbook designed by our own Spanish program faculty to teach our Elementary Spanish I and II courses to offset burdensome textbook costs for students.
• What advice would you give to someone wanting to start using OER? There are so many Open Educational Resources out there. Don’t feel like you have to be married to any one particular textbook, module, or application to make OER work for your courses. Experiment and assess. It is part of the fun of teaching to try new stuff once in a while, and OER can offer to help you with that.

Brief Bio: Dr. Wilkins is the Spanish Program Coordinator in the School of Human Inquiry at ÌÇÐÄVlog´«Ã½ Little Rock. He is working to help make language learning not only more accessible, but also a meaningful university experience for all students. He and his colleague, Dr. Elizabeth Sotelo, are also working to develop experiential and service learning opportunities for ÌÇÐÄVlog´«Ã½ Little Rocks students with structured internships, studies abroad, clubs, and special events. His areas of study include religious studies, US Latino studies, Mexican Studies, and Critical Theory. He also enjoys working in the local theatre scene as an actor. He resides in Little Rock with his wife, Aylea.

OPEN ACCESS WEEK is October 19-25. Discover how OER can work in your classroom.

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Maximize Your Research Impact—At No Cost

When serving as the corresponding author, campus scholars can now publish open access in eligible Oxford journals for free—with all standard article processing fees completely waived. Your peer-reviewed work becomes immediately accessible to readers worldwide without straining departmental travel or research funds.

Visit the Ottenheimer Library Read and Publish Agreements page for details on eligible titles, author workflows, and submission guidance.

Over 500 Premier Journals Across Disciplines

Oxford University Press publishes over 500 academic journals, providing prominent outlets for manuscripts in your field. You can explore the complete catalog at across key disciplines:

• Arts & Humanities
• Dictionaries & Reference
• Law
• Medicine & Health
• Science & Mathematics
• Social Sciences

When submitting your next manuscript, simply use your institutional email address during the submission process to ensure your automatic eligibility for free open access publishing!

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The Trojan Forge is ÌÇÐÄVlog´«Ã½ Little Rock’s new discipline neutral makerspace – a collaborative, hands-on hub where students, faculty, and staff from any background can access equipment, test ideas, and bring creative projects to life. Designed to foster cross pollination between art, science, technology, and the humanities, the space offers free access to tools, specialized software, breadboard kits, podcasting setups, art supplies, and checkout materials.

To explore the complete equipment inventory – including 3D printers, vinyl cutters, sewing machines, and embroidery setups – visit the official Trojan Forge Web Page.

Grand Opening Details

• Date: Tuesday, August 25, 2026
• Time: 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
• Location: First Floor of Ottenheimer Library (located at the back of the Learning Commons)

Join us for the official ribbon cutting ceremony, opening remarks, and light refreshments. Special thanks to Chancellor Drale, Provost Bain, Vision Partner Facilitator Brandon Sollars, the library’s Trojan Forge Task Force, IT Services and Facilities Management for bringing this student-led dream to life.

Built by Students, for Students and the ÌÇÐÄVlog´«Ã½ Little Rock Campus Community

The idea for Trojan Forge began in 2023 with the Library Vision Partners, a group of dedicated student leaders who envisioned a vibrant, hands-on hub where students from all majors could connect, collaborate, and bring creative ideas to life. In that first year, these student leaders toured regional makerspaces to gather inspiration and see how other campuses built their creative spaces.

Building on that foundation, the Fall 2025 Vision Partner cohort – Will Fausel, Ella Campbell, Grayson Jackson, Khari Wiley, Marchello Burks, Tamara Scott, and Val Bell Ovwiomoriemu – researched equipment options, selected gear, and actively advocated for a permanent home for the space on campus. Their efforts culminated in a prototype event that drew overwhelming support, with 98 percent of participants endorsing the initiative alongside more than 200 campus signatures, paving the way for today’s opening.

Centennial Legacy: History of Growth at Ottenheimer Library

The launch of Trojan Forge marks a milestone in ÌÇÐÄVlog´«Ã½ Little Rock’s 100 year history of student centered adaptation. Dating back to its origin as Little Rock Junior College in 1927 – housed inside Little Rock High School (now Central High) – the campus library has continuously evolved alongside its community:

• 1927: Founded inside Little Rock High School as Little Rock Junior College.
• Mid Century: Relocated to the university’s current campus inside Larson Library, named after Junior College founder John A. Larson.
• 1976: Opened the doors of Ottenheimer Library to accommodate the expanding campus community.
• 2000s–Present: Transformed traditional spaces by establishing an active learning classroom (2019), and launching the Learning Commons (2022) to centralize tutoring centers.

As ÌÇÐÄVlog´«Ã½ Little Rock celebrates its centennial, Trojan Forge carries this legacy forward – expanding the library’s mission beyond study and academic support into hands-on innovation for the next century.

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The Mission

As the primary advocate for the entire evolution of scholarly research, you will drive the growth of our institutional repository, ScholarHub@ÌÇÐÄVlog´«Ã½LittleRock. Your goal will be to empower faculty and students by maximizing the reach and impact of their work through open access initiatives and innovative digital preservation.

Key Responsibilities

• Repository Leadership: Strategically manage ScholarHub and supervise staff dedicated to digital preservation.
• Open Access Advocacy: Manage OA funds, oversee “read & publish” agreements, and guide faculty through publishing pathways and author rights.
• Educational Outreach: Design and lead workshops on research impact, licensing, and scholarly communication trends.
• Affordability Initiatives: Collaborate with campus stakeholders to integrate Open Educational Resources (OER) and affordable course content into the curriculum.
• Professional Growth: Engage in high-level scholarship and service consistent with a tenure-track faculty appointment.

Who We’re Looking For

The ideal candidate is a collaborative communicator who stays ahead of the curve in digital scholarship.

Required:

• A Master’s degree in Library and Information Science from an ALA-accredited program.

Preferred Experience:

• Background in institutional repositories or digital scholarship.
• Strong knowledge of current trends in Open Access, OER, and data management.
• Exceptional interpersonal and instructional skills.

Why Apply?

This is an opportunity to build a program from the ground up. If you are passionate about democratizing information and supporting the next generation of researchers, we want to hear from you!

Full details of the description and apply here: 

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Williams’ research project explored African American patients’ experiences with Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs), guided by communication theory to examine how stigma, trust, and culturally responsive care shape counseling experiences and resilience.

The Karen Russ Memorial Award of $500 is awarded each spring to the ÌÇÐÄVlog´«Ã½ Little Rock student who best utilizes, applies, and visualizes government data in his/her research. In her Expo project, Williams used U.S. government behavioral health data to contextualize national disparities that shape help-seeking and stigma. Specifically, data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health (OMH) were used to document the mental health treatment gap for Black/African American adults. She also drew on SAMHSA NSDUH reports to situate patterns related to mental illness, treatment utilization, and disparities by race/ethnicity.

These federal resources established the analytical framework and justification for her qualitative narrative study. To enhance her presentation, Williams incorporated a visual data snapshot on her Research Expo poster, utilizing a QR code to offer attendees immediate access to her complete APA references and the primary government documents. 

The Ottenheimer Library faculty and staff congratulate Ms. Williams on winning this award.

About the Karen Russ Memorial Award

The Karen Russ Memorial Award for Excellence in Research was established by the Ottenheimer Library in honor of our late colleague, Karen Russ. Karen served as the government documents librarian for over 20 years and assisted ÌÇÐÄVlog´«Ã½ Little Rock students and faculty in research, specializing in government information, data, and statistics.

The award is presented annually to the ÌÇÐÄVlog´«Ã½ Little Rock student who demonstrates outstanding use of government data in their research. The Ottenheimer Library faculty and staff applaud the recipients for their impressive achievement and dedication to academic inquiry.

The Ottenheimer Library applauds Latara Williams for her dedication to academic excellence and her impressive use of government data to advocate for health equity.

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