Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify key concepts in the literature relating to the release of open educational resources (OER), with specific reference to the emergence of public health OER. Design/methodology/approach: A review of the literature relating to the development of OER was followed by an online search for OER literature relating specifically to public health. This was supplemented with evidence gathered during the Public Health Open Resources for the University Sector (PHORUS) project. Findings: A wide array of OER literature was identified, although there was a limited number of public health-related papers. The key concepts influencing public health OER release were identified as quality, ethics and values, rewards, risks and practical aspects, such as technological developments. Research limitations/implications: There is a limited amount of public health-related OER literature. Whilst it was possible to draw some conclusions using more general OER literature there is a need for more research in the specific area of public health OER. Originality/value: The PHORUS project was the first to consider the literature relating to the release of public health OER. Understanding the enablers and barriers to OER is key to developing resources in this key area of health education. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)