Frequently Asked Questions


What is a 'digital commons?'

UWM Digital Commons is a virtual showcase for UWM’s research and profiles. Members of the UWM academic community are encouraged to contribute scholarship for long-term preservation and worldwide electronic accessibility.

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Why should I put my work in the UWM Digital Commons?

Including your work in the UWM Digital Commons provides you with institutional recognition. Your work is placed in the university context, side-by-side with the scholarly and creative contributions of your colleagues. Your work is assured a stable, visible online location that is searchable and citable. Submitting your work may also address the data-sharing requirements of some grants.

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What can be placed there?

The UWM Digital Commons can accept almost any digital material. A wide range of digital material can be placed in there, including, but not limited to:

  • Video files
  • Articles and preprints
  • Technical reports
  • Dissertations and theses
  • Practicum and capstone projects
  • Audio files
  • Working papers
  • Conference papers and presentations
  • Out of copyright books in digital format
  • Data sets

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Is there a size limit to images or files?

No.

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What if my work is published elsewhere?

The UWM Digital Commons contains both published and unpublished work. Contact your publisher for their policy on inclusion of manuscripts and published articles in a digital repository. Materials may temporarily be placed on embargo for a period of time at the publisher’s request. These materials would then be fully accessible only after the embargo period.

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What about copyright?

Many publishers have open access policies with varying degrees of flexibility. You and/or your publisher retain copyright when material is included in the UWM Digital Commons.

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When an article has multiple authors, do all the authors need to submit a deposit license?

Unless the authors have signed a copyright agreement amongst themselves before publication, US copyright law states that all authors have an equal share of the intellectual property. Only one author needs to submit a deposit license.

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Where do I send my material?

Submit material to .

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How do people find my material?

Researchers can find, cite and download your work in the UWM Digital Commons via Google Scholar, Search@UW and other search engines, providing you with a wider audience for your paper, thesis, dissertation, book or project.

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Can I get usage reports?

Site administrators at UWM can run reports that provide download and referral information for each article, series, department, or for the whole institution. Authors automatically receive monthly download reports for their papers. In addition, all Digital Commons repository sites are fully integrated with Google™ Analytics, a third-party service that provides detailed information on your website traffic.

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How long will UWM keep this information available via open access?

Indefinitely.

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Are there funds available to help me make something open access?

The UWM Libraries Open-Access Publication (UOAP) Fund is no longer available. Check the Office of Research Internal Grants page for information about other possible sources of funds for article processing charges. In addition, the UWM Libraries have entered into a number of open access publishing agreements that may apply to your work. Check the Open Access Read and Publish Agreements page for the latest updates.

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Whom do I contact with questions?

Chris Doll
Library Associate Director for Collection and Resource Management

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