Introduction
The Research Repository @ WVU is an open-access digital repository for the collection, management, preservation, and dissemination of intellectual works produced at West Virginia University. This document outlines the collection development and curation policies governing materials deposited in the repository.
Content Policy
Materials deposited in the Research Repository should reflect intellectual and scholarly activity at WVU. Deposited materials may include:
- Copyright-compliant published works from WVU-affiliated authors and programs (e.g. journal articles, book chapters, monographs, technical reports). Authors are encouraged to deposit their final (i.e. post-peer review) versions of works, insofar as this is permitted by relevant publishing agreements. These are often finalized Word documents, not publishers’ proprietary PDFs. Authors may also deposit pre-prints (i.e. pre-peer review versions) of articles and other works.
- Unpublished works from WVU-affiliated authors (e.g. posters, presentations, conference papers, lecture slides, white papers, extension materials, teaching materials).
- Multimedia projects
- Datasets
- Campus-based student-run or faculty-run open access journals
- Theses, dissertations, and undergraduate honors theses.
- Faculty-sponsored undergraduate work.
- Organizational annual reports and newsletters that represent the intellectual work taking place within a unit
- Materials documenting University events and exhibitions
- Other materials may be considered. Please contact RR@WVU staff to discuss your work.
Generally deposit is limited to members of the WVU community, including faculty, researchers, staff, graduate students, and, under certain circumstances, undergraduate students. Works created by non-WVU affiliates in conjunction with WVU-affiliates (e.g. coauthors) or programming (e.g. work for WVU-hosted events) is generally eligible for deposit.
Curation Policies
Withdrawing Materials
The Research Repository @ WVU is intended to be a permanent repository of intellectual and creative work produced at WVU. Therefore, removing materials from the repository is highly discouraged. Nevertheless, authors may request for their deposited materials to be removed and these requests will be honored. Under most circumstances, a citation to the removed content will remain.
Embargo Policies
Materials are, by default, available open access to anyone in the world with an internet connection. Upon the request of depositing authors, works may be placed under an embargo for up to five years, after which the works will be openly available. Works under embargo will be stored on the Research Repository’s servers, but will not be accessible to anyone other than repository staff.
Digital Preservation
Deposited materials are backed up offsite by the Research Repository’s hosting vendor, Bepress.
File Formats and Size
The Research Repository @ WVU accepts all file formats. However, it is recommended that materials be deposited in open file formats such as PDF, HTML, JPEG, MPG, WMV, as this aids in user accessibility and promotes long-term preservation. While there is no formal size limit, files should be reasonably sized. Please contact Research Repository staff if you have concerns about file sizes and formats.