The importance for universities to archive their own scientific/scholarly publications has led to their setting up “institutional repositories”. However, many scientists and scholars remain cautious about whole-heartedly agreeing to cooperate. An important factor here is uncertainty regarding the waiving (or otherwise) of copyright and the attitude of publishers to such repositories. To clarify matters, SURF set up the CoMa project.
That project led to the setting up of a knowledge database containing the policy of publishers regarding institutional repositories. The database contains standard letters that authors can use to request their publisher’s permission to include a publication in an institutional repository. So far, the database contains the policy of only a limited number of publishers but more will be added. The project is being coordinated at international level with the SHERPA project so as to add to the data and manage it more effectively.
The CoMa project is being implemented by Tilburg University.
>> To the CoMa standard letters
See also: