Showcasing your work as a researcher through various platforms (Ex: researcher profiles) and with the use persistent identifiers and unique ID's your research will become more visible and accessible to the world. With your work more visible you are then able to show how your work has impacted the academic community through the use of impact factors, alternative metrics and citation/download counts, and other tools. To assist with making research more visible to the university community and the world, UML offers the following options to accomplish this goal. The items below are not exhaustive but offer a starting point for showcasing your research.
Publishing open access means free, unrestricted access, and immediate availability of your scholarship to anyone in the world. The University of Miami Libraries have established publishing agreements (some are pilot programs) which provide researchers with qualifying articles the possibility of APC funding. For University of Miami authors to take advantage of these programs, each article’s corresponding author must be affiliated with the University. Additional information can be found on the Open Access Funding at UM Guide.
The benefits of publishing your work as Open Access include:
Author retains the copyright of their scholarship
Open Access articles are more visible and discoverable (Antelman 2004)
A list of Open Access Journals and can be found through the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). DOAJ is an index of diverse open access journals from around the world, with the mission is to increase the visibility, accessibility, reputation, usage and impact of quality, peer-reviewed, open access scholarly research journals globally, regardless of discipline, geography or language.
In addition, the University of Miami Libraries Open Access and Publishing page offers a variety of resources on this topic.
References
Antelman, Kristin (2004). Do Open-Access Articles Have a Greater Research Impact? College & Research Libraries, Volume 65 (5). https://crl.acrl.org/index.php/crl/article/view/15683
Li Y, Wu C, Yan E, Li K (2018) Will open access increase journal CiteScores? An empirical investigation over multiple disciplines. PLoS ONE 13 (8): e0201885. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0201885
Swan, Alma (2010). The Open Access citation advantage: Studies and results to date. University of Southampton. https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/268516/
Tennant JP, Waldner F, Jacques DC et al (2016). The academic, economic and societal impacts of Open Access: an evidence-based review [version 3; peer review: 4 approved, 1 approved with reservations]. F1000 Research , 5:632. https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.8460.3
Where and How to Find Author Metrics
Journal Citation Reports
Journal Citation Reports (JCR) is a multidisciplinary database that presents statistical data useful for determining the relative importance of journals within 224 predefined subject categories.
SCOPUS
Scopus covers the life, physical, health, and social sciences. Scopus is a large abstract and citation database of research literature and web sources. Covering over 15,000 peer-reviewed titles from more than 4,000 international publishers, including coverage of 500 Open Access journals, 700 Conference Proceedings, 600 Trade Publications, and 125 Book Series. More than 60% of titles are from countries other than the US. Abstracts go back to 1966. References go back to 1996. 80% of content is indexed with controlled vocabularies. 100% coverage of Medline, including unique Medline journals. 28 million abstract records. 245 million references added to all abstracts. Scopus also covers 250 million quality web sources, including 13 million patents. Web sources are searched via Scirus, including author homepages, university sites, and resources such as the preprint servers CogPrints and ArXiv.org, and OAI-compliant resources.
Web of Science Citation Indexes
Web of Science, published by Thomson Reuters, is a multi-disciplinary database that provides integrated access to over 8,000 key research journals indexed in: Science Citation Index Expanded, Social Science Citation Index, and Arts and Humanities Citation Index. There are two main ways to search the database: --- select General Search to search for articles by subject term, author name, journal title, or author affiliation --- select Cited Reference Search to search for articles that cite an author or article that you specify. Web of Knowledge features citation searching, email alerts, and links to the full text of many items.
Google Scholar @ UM
Search Google Scholar with direct links to University of Miami Library Resources. Google Scholar provides a simple way to broadly search for scholarly literature. From one place, you can search across many disciplines and sources: peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, abstracts and articles, from academic publishers, professional societies, preprint repositories, universities, and other scholarly organizations. Google Scholar helps you identify the most relevant research across the world of scholarly research. If you are within the UM campus or, if from Scholar Preferences you select the University of Miami Libraries, your Google Scholar results will include direct links to items available at UM. If this information is in a subscription database, you will be prompted to log in with your CaneID username and password.
Terms to Know
Impact Factor: measure of the number of times an average paper in a journal is cited, during a year. Impact factor ranges and averages vary by discipline but, overall, higher impact factor values denote a journal has a greater impact. Used only for journals.
H-Index: standard scholarly metric in which the number of published papers, and the number of times their author is cited, is put into relation. Overall, a higher h-index denotes an author or journal has been cited more often than a lower h-index. Used for researchers and journals.
Altmetrics: short for "alternative metrics," used to describe non-traditional/emerging methods of research output, such as shares on social media sites. Used for individual publications.
Resources To Help Improve Visibility and Impact
Open Access Funding at UM - The University of Mami Libraries have established publishing agreements (some are pilot programs) which provide researchers with qualifying articles the possibility of APC funding.
University of Miami Libraries Guide for Researchers - Guide intended for researchers at the University of Miami that provides resources for grants, funding, research compliance and many other topics involving research and publishing.
ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID) - An Open Researcher and Contributor ID is a registry of unique identifiers for researchers and scholars that is open, non-proprietary, transparent, mobile, and community-based. ORCID provides a universal persistent digital identifier that distinguishes you from every other researcher. ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID) - is a free, unique, persistent identifier (PID) for individuals to use as they engage in research, scholarship, and innovation activities. (orcid.org)
Scholarship@Miami - This portal preserves and provides access to selected research and scholarly works prepared by faculty, students, and staff of the University of Miami. This platform is another option when trying to disseminate your research.
Scholarship@Miami Researcher profiles - Individual profiles of researchers at the University of Miami. Profiles include research output, grants, as well as information about a researcher's affiliations, research interests and contact information.
Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) - A guide to help providing information, answer questions and identify services the University of Miami Libraries provides regarding DOI's.
Scholarly Kitchen - A moderated and independent blog aimed to help fulfill this mission by bringing together differing opinions, commentary, and ideas, and presenting them openly on the topcis of scholarly publishing and communication, professional development of its members through education, collaboration, and networking.
Authors' Alliance - Advances the interests of authors who want to serve the public good by sharing their creations broadly. Includes resources to help authors understand and enjoy their rights and promote policies that make knowledge and culture available and discoverable.
The University of Mami Libraries have established publishing agreements (some are pilot programs) which provide researchers with qualifying articles the possibility of APC funding. Open Access publications have been known to be cited more frequently and therefore increasing the visibility and impact of the research (Antelman 2004).
DOAJ - The Directory of Open Access Journals
DOAJ works to to increase the visibility, accessibility, reputation, usage and impact of quality, peer-reviewed, open access scholarly research journals. Listed journals must meet the DOAJ quality and integrity standards. Look up journals by topic, easily see Journal processing fees and copyright/reuse policies
JANE - The Journal/Author Name Estimator
Enter keywords or an entire abstract and JANE will suggest journals by comparing your input to millions of documents in PubMed to find the matching journals.
Master Journal List Manuscript Matcher
Curated tool to help you to find the right journal for your needs across multiple indices hosted on the Web of Science platform.
Scopus Journal Analyzer
Provides insight into journal performance and compares journal rankings.
SPI-Hub - The Vanderbilt University Medical Center's Center for Knowledge Management
This tool attempts to provide authors with information on journal quality, rigor, and transparency to aid informed decision making on publishing venues.
Springer Journal Suggester
Enter your manuscript details to see a list of Springer journals suitable for your research. Filter by open access status, impact factor, and more.
Think. Check. Submit.
Helpful Resources
Think, Check, Submit
The Think, Check, Submit process will help you discover what you need to know when assessing whether or not a journal is a suitable venue for your research.
Scholarly communication encompasses the entire process by which academic research and writing are produced, assessed for quality, shared within the scholarly community, and preserved for future access. This system includes formal avenues like peer-reviewed journal publications, as well as informal methods such as email discussion lists. Scholarly communication librarians play a vital role in every stage of this process—from the generation of new knowledge to its evaluation, distribution, and long-term preservation. (ACRL, 2023)
Scholarly Communication Services
I am based at the Marta and Austin Weeks Music Library and Technology Center, where I support faculty, researchers, and students at the University of Miami—particularly those affiliated with the Frost School of Music and the Humanities Departments. Through ongoing outreach and communication, my goal is to enhance the visibility and impact of UM’s scholarly and creative output.
My services Include:
Supporting Scholarship@Miami: I work with my team to manage the collection, storage, and preservation of research outputs within the university’s institutional repository.
Assisting with Researcher Profiles: I provide training and guidance to help researchers enrich their profiles in Scholarship@Miami, ensuring their work is accurately represented and easily discoverable.
Showcasing Student Creativity: I lead efforts to import and highlight creative projects by Frost School of Music students, offering innovative services that elevate student work within the repository.
Providing Copyright and Licensing Support: I assist with a wide range of copyright-related topics, including fair use, public domain, author rights, instructional use, and Creative Commons licensing.
Responding to Music-Specific Research Needs: I offer tailored support for music-related inquiries from Frost School of Music faculty, researchers, and students.
Consulting on Publishing: I help researchers across UM navigate the scholarly publishing process, offering guidance on journal selection, publishing models, and best practices.
Managing Open Access Platforms: I oversee open access digital platforms and advise on transformative agreements, article processing charges (APCs), and publisher partnerships—including those with IOP, PLOS, Wiley, and Scholarship@Miami.
Helping Identify Reputable Journals: I assist researchers in evaluating journals and avoiding predatory publishers.
On January 1, 2025, thousands of copyrighted works from 1929 officially entered the U.S. public domain, along with sound recordings from 1924. This marks a major milestone: all creative works published in the 1920s are now in the public domain, free for anyone to copy, share, adapt, and build upon.
Literary Works
The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf
Film & Animation
Mickey Mouse speaks his first words in The Karnival Kid (“Hot dogs! Hot dogs!”)
The Marx Brothers debut in their first feature film
Early sound films by Alfred Hitchcock and John Ford
Music Compositions
An American in Paris by George Gershwin
Bolero by Maurice Ravel
Ain’t Misbehavin’ by Fats Waller
Singin’ in the Rain (musical number)
Comic Strips
The original Popeye and Tintin characters entered the public domain
Library of Congress (Free to Use Resources)
This page features items from the Library's digital collections that are free to use and reuse. The Library believes that this content is either in the public domain, has no known copyright, or has been cleared by the copyright owner for public use.
The Public Domain Image Archive (PDIA) is a digital repository featuring over 10,000 historical images that are now part of the public domain. These images originate from a wide array of institutions—including libraries, galleries, archives, and museums—and are freely accessible for exploration, sharing, and creative reuse.
PDIA is a project of the Public Domain Review (PDR), a nonprofit online journal that curates and celebrates works from the history of art, literature, and ideas that have entered the public domain. The platform emphasizes the cultural significance of these works and their potential for new interpretations and applications.
Importantly, while the images themselves are in the public domain, users should exercise caution when using digital reproductions, as usage restrictions may apply depending on the institution that holds the original. Additionally, public domain status can vary by country, so a work that is free to use in the United States may still be subject to copyright elsewhere.
PDIA offers three engaging ways to explore its collection:
Catalogue View – Browse by theme, style, date, and more.
Infinite View – Immerse yourself in a continuous visual experience.
Shuffle View – Discover images randomly for a serendipitous journey.
Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands, v1. Tab 38, Mark Catesby, 1731
Fair Use Guidelines
The Fair Use provision, established in the Copyright Act of 1976, allows for the limited use of copyrighted works without permission from the copyright holder and without payment of royalties. It is designed to support activities such as:
Criticism
Commentary
Teaching
Scholarship
Research
Fair use is a flexible legal doctrine that enables educators, researchers, and creators to use portions of copyrighted material under specific conditions.
The Four Factors of Fair Use
Under Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act, four factors are considered when determining whether a use qualifies as fair use. No single factor is decisive, and not all must weigh in favor of fair use for a valid claim.
Purpose and Character of the Use
Is the use nonprofit, educational, or commercial?
Is the use transformative—does it add new meaning, context, or purpose (e.g., criticism, instruction)?
Nature of the Copyrighted Work
Is the work factual or creative?
Factual works (e.g., news articles) are more likely to be considered fair use than highly creative works (e.g., music, fiction).
Amount and Substantiality of the Portion Used
How much of the work is used?
Is the portion used central or significant to the original work?
Effect on the Market Value
Does the use harm the market or potential sales of the original work?
Uses that substitute for purchasing the original (e.g., copying textbook chapters) are less likely to be considered fair use.
Fair Use in Academic and Research Libraries
The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) developed a Code of Best Practices in Fair Use to help academic and research libraries apply fair use confidently and responsibly. The document outlines eight key situations where fair use is commonly applicable, along with limitations and enhancements to guide best practices.
Summary of the Eight Fair Use Principles
Supporting Teaching and Learning via Digital Technologies
Fair use applies when libraries provide access to materials in digital course environments, especially in non-commercial, educational settings.
Enhancements: Transformative use, limited duration, access restricted to enrolled students.
Limitations: Amount used, course alignment, and secure access.
Using Collection Materials in Library Exhibitions
Libraries may use selections from their collections to promote activities or create physical and virtual exhibitions.
Fair use enables libraries to adapt materials for accessible formats, ensuring equitable access for students, faculty, and staff with disabilities.
Maintaining Integrity of Works in Institutional Repositories
Libraries support fair use when preserving and sharing scholarly works in open access repositories, respecting the author’s intent and public availability.
Creating Databases for Non-Consumptive Research
Libraries may build databases that support search, indexing, and data analysis without consuming the original content.
Enhancements: Metadata creation, statistical analysis, and transformative research tools.
Collecting and Archiving Web Content
Fair use applies when libraries curate web-based materials for historical or scholarly archives.
Enhancements: Contextualization, educational framing, and transformative use.
DISCLAIMER: What is presented here is not legal advice and should not be taken as such. This information is presented to provide guidance to the University Community regarding library materials and resources and copyright, permissions, and related services. If a specific concern or question is not addressed in this guide, you are still responsible for compliance U.S. Copyright Law.
Copyright Essentials
Purpose of Copyright
As defined in the U.S. Constitution, the purpose of copyright is:
“To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries.”
Copyright law encourages creativity and innovation by granting creators exclusive rights to their original works for a limited time. It is a form of federal protection that supports both individual authorship and public access over time.
Prerequisites for Copyright Protection
To be eligible for copyright protection, a work must meet the following criteria:
Originality: The work must be independently created by a human author.
Minimal Creativity: It must contain at least a modest amount of creative expression.
Fixation: The work must be fixed in a tangible medium—such as paper, digital file, audio recording, etc.—so it can be perceived, reproduced, or communicated over time.
Duration of Copyright
The duration of copyright protection is governed by the 1976 Copyright Act, which took effect on January 1, 1978. The length of protection depends on the nature of the work and its authorship:
Works by Individual Authors:
Copyright lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years.
This ensures that creators retain exclusive rights throughout their lifetime, with extended protection for their heirs and estates.
Works Made for Hire, Anonymous, or Pseudonymous Works:
Copyright lasts for 95 years from the date of first publication or 120 years from the date of creation, whichever expires first.
These provisions apply to works created under employment contracts or those without a named author.
Copyright Protection
The following types of works are eligible for copyright protection, provided they meet the requirements of originality, creativity and fixation:
Copyrightable
Literary works (e.g., books, articles, essays)
Sound recordings
Audiovisual works (e.g., films, videos)
Dramatic works (e.g., plays, scripts)
Software (including code and applications)
Pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works
Pantomimes and choreographic works
Architectural works
These works must be created by a human, exhibit a minimal degree of creativity, and be fixed in a tangible medium.
Not Copyrightable
Certain types of content are not eligible for copyright protection:
Short phrases and slogans
Titles and names (including company names)
Ideas, facts, and discoveries
Processes, procedures, systems, and methods
Concepts and principles
While these elements may be protected under other legal frameworks (e.g., trademarks or patents), they do not qualify for copyright.
Trademarks vs Patends
Trademarks are designed to distinguish goods and services from one another, helping consumers identify the source of a product and avoid confusion. Examples include logos, brand names, and slogans.
Patents
Patents protect inventions and grant exclusive rights to inventors for a limited time. There are three main types:
Utility patents – for inventions with practical applications
Design patents – for ornamental designs
Plant patents – for new varieties of plants (e.g., scientific discoveries in agriculture or medicine)
Exclusive Rights
Under U.S. Copyright Law (17 U.S.C. § 106), authors and creators are granted a bundle of exclusive rights for a limited time. Once this period expires, the work enters the public domain, allowing anyone to use it freely without infringing copyright.
The Six Exclusive Rights
Reproduction: the right to make copies of a work or phonorecord.
Distribution: the right to distribute copies by sale, transfer of ownership, rental, lease, or lending.
Creation of Derivative Works: the right to adapt the original work—for example, translating a literary work or arranging a musical composition.
Public Performance: the right to perform works such as music, drama, or film in public settings (e.g., concerts, theaters).
Public Display: the right to publicly display works including literary, musical, dramatic, choreographic, and visual art.
Digital Audio Transmission (specific to sound recordings): the right to perform sound recordings publicly via digital transmission (e.g., streaming services).
Important note on ownership: copyright ownership is distinct from ownership of a physical copy. For example, purchasing a CD does not grant the buyer copyright over the music, lyrics, or recordings it contains. These rights remain with the original composer, performer, publisher, and record label.
Copyright Registration
Since March 1, 1989, there is no legal requirement to register a work with the U.S. Copyright Office or to include a copyright notice in order for a work to be protected.
A work is automatically protected by copyright from the moment it is created and fixed in a tangible medium of expression — such as written text, recorded audio, or digital file.
Why Register?
Although registration is not required, it is strongly recommended because it provides several important benefits:
Legal Evidence: Registration establishes a public record of ownership.
Eligibility for Lawsuits: You must register before filing an infringement lawsuit in U.S. courts.
Statutory Damages & Attorney’s Fees: Registration allows for potential recovery of statutory damages and legal fees in court.
Since 1 March 1989, there is no requirement to register copyright with the Copyright Office, nor to include the copyright notice on a work. Therefore, a work is protected in terms of copyright from the moment it was created and fixed in a tangible format.
Useful Copyright Office Links:
Circulars : Learn about: Foundations of Copyright, Office Practices & Procedures, Copyright Concepts, Copyright Registration for Visual Arts Works, Performing Arts Works, Literary Works and more!
Privacy and publicity rights are separate bodies of law from copyright. Where copyright protects the copyright ownerʼs property rights in a work, privacy and publicity rights protect the interests of the subject of a work (such as the person who is depicted in a photograph). Issues of privacy and publicity may arise when a researcher contemplates the use of letters, diary entries, photographs or content in visual, audio, and print formats often found in library collections.
Privacy and publicity rights are governed by state laws and vary state-by-state.
Many states have privacy and/or publicity laws, while others do not recognize such rights.
Some states address comparable rights under other state laws or common law legal theories such as misappropriation and false representation. What may be permitted in one state may not be permitted in another.
Note also that related causes of action may be pursued under the federal Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. §1125 (a), for example, for unauthorized uses of a personʼs identity in order to create a false endorsement.
Keep in mind that while ʻfair useʼ is a defense to copyright infringement, it is not a defense to claimsof violation of privacy or publicity rights.
While an individualʼs right to privacy generally ends when the individual dies, publicity rights associated with the commercial value connected with an individualʼs name, image or voice may continue. Many University of Miami Libraries Understanding Copyright estates or representatives of famous authors, musicians, actors, photographers, politicians, sports figures, celebrities, and other public figures continue to control and license the uses of those figuresʼ names, likenesses, signature or other aspects of oneʼs persona that may have commercial value.
Under the First Amendment of the US Constitution which protects freedom of speech, the use of a work to comment on a matter of public interest is less likely to trigger liability than use in advertising or for other commercial purposes. Yet risk may still exist if the person depicted is held up to ridicule or presented in a libelous manner.
Patrons desiring to use materials must make their own decision as to privacy or publicity rights that may be implicated by the nature of the materials and the proposed use. Keep in mind that such clearances are separate from any necessary copyright clearances.
DISCLAIMER: What is presented here is not legal advice and should not be taken as such. This information is presented to provide guidance to the University Community regarding library materials and resources and copyright, permissions, and related services. If a specific concern or question is not addressed in this guide, you are still responsible for compliance U.S. Copyright Law.
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A Librarian