DigitalCommons@Molloy

Listed here are a collection of frequently asked questions about the DigitalCommons@Molloy. If you have a question about formatting, submission, or any other general questions please check the FAQ on the DigitalCommons@Molloy website first. If you do not see an answer to your question, feel free to email the DigitalCommons@Molloy curator.

1. Do I need to fill out a release form for my content? Where can I find the release forms?
   • If your work is published or currently available open on the web, you do not need to fill out a release form.
   • If your work is unpublished, you might need to fill out a release form. Unpublished works can include images, posters, white papers, capstone projects, and theses. 
     • If you need to fill out a release form, it must be emailed to the current Digital Commons Curator.
     • If you can submit directly to DigitalCommons@Molloy, then no release form is needed because it is in the Submission Agreement which you check when you submit your work.

2. I have an account with Researchgate.net, Academia.edu, or another "academic social network" why should I duplicate my efforts and place my work in the DigitalCommons?
   • There are many factors that could affect your decision to post your work on one of these "academic social network" sites. This presentation by Andree Rathemacher & Julia Lovett, University of Rhode Island, is a great resource on this topic. The highlights are below:
   1. Don't let the .edu fool you - these are commercial sites that have no affiliation to an educational institution.
   2. Both sites encourage the upload of the full-text published article. The directions to do so are misleading at best. This could lead to copyright infringement if the author doesn't upload the correct version of their work. Note: since these are commercial websites they do not receive the same permissions as a personal website or institutional repository (like DigitalCommons@Molloy).
   3. The content isn't truly OPEN: researchgate.net requires users to create a login to verify they work at an recognized institution. Many users, such as doctoral students, would not fulfill that requirement.
   4. Is it all about citations? Yes, it is great to be able to track your citations but the DigitalCommons has a download tracking system - so even if a user doesn't cite your work in a new publication, you can see how many users are reading your work.
   5. These sites also do not have the relationship with Google that bepress/DigitalCommons does and do not offer the same search engine optimization.
   6. Elsevier is actively removing their published PDFs from such sites and recently won a case against Sci-Hub regarding copyright infringement.
   • If you still wish to be a member of one of these communities, you have the option to link to the DigitalCommons record for your work. That would ensure all users of all sites are presented with the approved version of your work and the usage of your work would be tracked in the Author Dashboard.

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3. Why should I bother finding my post-print or pre-print when I can just link to my article on the journal's webpage?
   • Short answer: The goal of a digital repository it to house content and not just serve as a list of citations.
   • Long answer: Statistics. Downloads are easy to track and can be seen on your Author Dashboard. Once you upload a pre-print or post-print you will be able to get usage statistics based on downloads. Currently there is no easy way to track usage when a user clicks on "Link to Full Text" and even the hard way of tracking doesn't guarantee that they looked at your article - only that they looked at the record page and saw the citation information & abstract.
   • Other considerations: In the open-access world of the Digital Commons Network, users have the expectation of finding Full-Text. Users may abandon their search if they can't easily retrieve the article/work that they want.

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4. I'm worried about my content getting stolen or plagiarized because it is not published. What should I do?

We understand your concern. Note that Dissertations are published and Thesis can be published. The copyright for a published article extends to cover all versions of that article. For other works, here are a few library approved options:

• License your content with Creative Commons - they offer a range of different licenses and there is no cost. This option is recommended for Undergraduate student works and Master's Thesis. A Creative Commons license tells users exactly how they can use your work. This is the most preferred option.
• Make your work available only to the Molloy community. This option would be decided on a case-by-case basis. Your abstract and citation information would be open-access but your work itself would only be accessible by the Molloy community - just like the library's resources.
• Request an embargo period; for 18 months, only your abstract and citation information would be available open-access. After the embargo period, your work will become open-access.
• Post only your abstract and citation information. This is the least preferred option since the goal is to collect content in the repository.

1. I would like to include my work but it is in print. Can you help?

• Yes! While the Digital Commons accepts many different file types, all work must be digital. There are scanners located in the library which are available for use. If you need assistance digitizing your work then contact Tabitha Ochtera.

5. Why should I use a Creative Commons license?

   • A Creative Commons license helps protect your rights as the copyright holder by explicitly stating how you wish your work to be used.  The Creative Commons website says it best: "All Creative Commons licenses have many important features in common. Every license helps creators — we call them licensors if they use our tools — retain copyright while allowing others to copy, distribute, and make some uses of their work — at least non-commercially. Every Creative Commons license also ensures licensors get the credit for their work they deserve." The License Chooser makes it easy to find the license to suite your needs. Here is a great video describing the usefulness and process for licenses. Note: CC licenses are non-revocable so once you choose on for your work - that is the license it'll have forever.

      

6. How do I request the withdrawal of my content?
   • The intended purpose of DigitalCommons@Molloy is to serve as a permanent repository of the scholarship and work done at Molloy University.
   • Generally, content will only be removed if it is found to be in violation of copyright.
   • All requests to withdraw your content should be sent to the Digital Commons Curator.
   • The citation information and record page of the original content will remain at the same URL with a note that the content has be withdrawn.

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7.  I am not clear about the difference between a post-print and the published PDF. Since my content is published, I don't understand why it can't just be placed in the Digital Commons.
   • This really boils down to the policy of the publisher. Only about 25% of Publishers allow the use of the Published PDF in institutional repositories. So it's not a matter of finding your article but of finding the allowed version for upload to the DigitalCommons@Molloy.
   • The post-print is the version which comes after the peer-review process but before the formatting done by the publisher. The content is essentially what is in the published PDF but the visuals are different. The Post-Print is not the same as a Publisher's proof which includes formatting and citation information from the publisher.
   • The University of Exeter has this example to help clarify the difference.

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8. What happens to my work & profile if I leave Molloy University?
   • Your works will stay in the DigitalCommons@Molloy
   • You will need to login to your account (for both the DigitalCommons@Molloy and Expert Gallery Suite) and update your email address to a permanent one that is not molloy.edu. This will ensure that you still get your readership emails.
   • For your profile in the Expert Gallery Suite, you will need to unaffiliated your profile - there is a check box under the position.

 Created by Tabitha Ochtera, MLIS in 2016. Last updated 2024