Summary and Schedule
Lesson Description
This lesson introduces librarians to the fundamentals of open science hardware (OSH) and equips them with the knowledge and tools to support researchers engaging with OSH as both developers and users.
In five modules, participants explore what OSH is, how it is created and shared, how licensing and documentation shape its reusability, where to find or publish designs, and how to connect researchers with the wider OSH community.
Learning Objectives
Librarians will learn to critically assess project openness, navigate platforms, understand licensing strategies, and build confidence in referring researchers to peer communities. With practical examples, checklists, and challenges throughout, librarians will become informed guides and collaborators in the growing OSH ecosystem. After taking this lesson, librarians will be able to:
- Explain what is open science hardware and which are its benefits in academia, providing concrete examples;
- Understand which are the main components of open science hardware projects,
- Compare available open hardware licenses and determine in which situations they are most appropriate;
- Identify sources of open science hardware designs online, indicating if they follow best practices;
- Connect researchers to the most relevant communities in open science hardware.
Pre-Requisites
Technical knowledge on software, hardware or engineering disciplines is not a requirement for taking this lesson. Familiarity with open science concepts and practices is not a requirement but will definitely make things easier.
| Setup Instructions | Download files required for the lesson | |
| Duration: 00h 00m | 1. Introduction: What is open science hardware? |
What is open science hardware (OSH)? Why is OSH important in academia? What are examples of OSH projects? |
| Duration: 00h 30m | 2. Lesson 2: How does open science hardware work? |
Who is making open science hardware and for whom? What is shared in open science hardware? |
| Duration: 01h 00m | 3. Lesson 3: licenses and open science hardware |
What licensing options exist for open hardware? How can librarians help researchers choose a license? ::: |
| Duration: 01h 30m | 4. Lesson 4: Open science hardware best practices |
What are the most popular platforms for sharing open science
hardware? How can librarians assess if a project follows best practices? |
| Duration: 02h 00m | 5. Lesson 5: Connecting to open science hardware communities |
How do researchers interact differently with OSH, as users or
developers? Where can researchers get support and collaborate with others? |
| Duration: 02h 30m | 6. [Visual guide] Supporting Open Science Hardware: A guide for librarians | |
| Duration: 02h 32m | Finish |
The actual schedule may vary slightly depending on the topics and exercises chosen by the instructor.
No setup is required for this lesson.