ALIA e-prints: Frequently asked questions

What is an e-print server?

An e-print server (also known as an e-print archive, e-print repository or pre-print server/archive/repository) is a server used by authors to circulate their work. A pre-print or e-print is a version of new work or work in a draft form. The servers can provide another medium for sharing new research material in addition to printed pre-print and working paper series that have been traditionally used as a method of gaining peer review or feedback and for the circulation of new ideas.

Why should I include my work on ALIA e-prints?

There is no cost to you to have your work included on the ALIA e-prints server. A paper on the server will receive a greater circulation than a paper based document that is mailed to a set mailing list. Including your work on ALIA e-prints will facilitate its exposure to other LIS researchers and practitioners and will contribute to the sharing of research output that is one of the aims of ALIA's Research Exchange and Partnership (REAP) initiative. It will also facilitate international exposure for these papers, through a search engine that enables cross-institutional searching.

Other features of the ALIA e-prints server are the ability to see which are the most viewed papers and what sites are accessing the papers. The software on which ALIA e-prints runs enables online commentary by readers of the papers. The software also provides an alerting service for new e-prints. The software allows cloning of an existing paper so that revised versions are less time consuming to load. The software provides the facility to track revisions or different versions of papers.

Can I have a paper in ALIA e-prints as well as on my own or my organisation's web site?

Your research papers may be housed in more than one location. However, it is advisable to check your organisation's policy and requirements before including your papers on ALIA e-prints. Your organization may require its approval to load your paper on ALIA e-prints.

How do ALIA e-prints and a journal differ?

One of the main differences is that journals publish articles that have been through a peer review process and have been edited to ensure they comply with journal and academic standards. Papers placed on ALIA e-prints will not be refereed or edited by the ALIA e-prints administration. ALIA e-prints is a place where articles can be stored to enable greater access to a broad readership. ALIA e-prints administrators will only ensure that no irrelevant or offensive material is placed on the server. Readers of papers on ALIA e-prints have the opportunity to provide feedback to the author's of papers. In this way an informal peer review can take place.

Can I include a paper on ALIA e-prints that has appeared somewhere else?

The ALIA e-prints administrators do not expect that any papers on the repository have not appeared anywhere else. There are no restrictions imposed by ALIA e-prints on where a piece of work has appeared before. However, it should be noted that if your paper has appeared elsewhere, you may have transferred the copyright of the work from yourself to the journal publisher. If this is the case, the publisher may not allow you to include your work on ALIA e-prints. Additionally, some publishers will not publish material that has previously been included on an e-print repository such as ALIA e-prints. You will need to check with the publishers to whom you have submitted papers before including them on ALIA e-prints. A list of some publishers and their policies on this matter can be found on the Univerity of Melbourne Library's e-prints information pages. [http://www.lib.unimelb.edu.au/e-prints/home.htm#copyright - link no longer valid]

Can I remove one of my papers from ALIA e-prints if I need to?

Yes, it easy for papers to be removed. The current version of the software allows only the administrators to remove material on your behalf. To request the removal of a paper, follow the link to 'Deposit Papers' then to 'Review your documents in the archive'. ALIA e-prints administrators will remove the requested papers within a few days.

How long will it take for a paper to appear on ALIA e-prints after I have submitted it?

All papers are submitted to a buffer which is checked regularly by the ALIA e-prints administrators. All suitable papers in the buffer are sent up to ALIA e-prints and then become available immediately. Therefore you can expect papers to become available to readers within a few days after you submit them to ALIA e-prints.