A

Access control – Restricts the ability of visitors to freely download primary files from repository or journal submissions. Access control is available using IP address, email domain, or user email/account. Content can be further restricted by document type or moving wall. See also “Embargo,” a type of access control that expires on a specific date. Related: Access Control and Embargoes: Options for Restricting Content

Additional files – Files that are uploaded to appear along with the primary file. A wide range of formats are accepted, and they appear at the bottom of the primary submission’s article information page by default. See also “Supplemental Content.”

Administrator Toolbar – The toolbar at the top of repository pages that is visible to administrators and editors when logged in. It contains links to Configuration, Manage Submissions, and Submission Details pages for performing essential functions relevant to the level or structure being viewed. Related: Digital Commons Administrator Configurations; Managing Administrator Permissions  

API – Stands for “Application Programming Interface.” The Digital Commons Outbound API provides access to repository data in JSON format in order to use that data in other applications. Related: Digital Commons API: Getting Started 

Article header – Optional text added across the top of PDF pages. Usually includes the author, a short version of the article title, the journal title, volume, issue, and page numbers.

Article information page – The published page where the metadata entered on the submission form appears, along with the button to download the primary file (if present). Also referred to as an item’s “metadata page.”

B

Back content­ – Previously published academic content such as past journal articles or theses and dissertations. We often use this term to describe research items that will be migrated or imported to a Digital Commons site. Previously published issues of journals are a common example of back content. 

Back end – Site management pages that are only visible to site administrators, such as the Configuration settings pages and the Manage Submissions pages.

Back-end value – The name for a metadata field as it is stored in the system and used when performing activities such as batch importing/revising or OAI harvesting. For example, the back-end value of the Document Type field is document_type. For custom fields, you can choose the back-end value you would like to use. The back-end value must be lowercase and can include underscores (_) or dashes (-). Related: Metadata Options in Digital Commons 

Banner – The image in the header area across the top of your repository or journal that appears on all pages and can be custom-designed. It includes the title of your site and any logos you wish to add. Logos or text in the banner can link back to your institutional website and/or library. Related: Design Customization Guide for Sites, Journals, and Events 

Batch revise – A tool that allows you to revise multiple published and/or unpublished submissions at a time via an Excel spreadsheet or XML file. Your consultant is available to train you on how to use the batch revise tool, while the process of batch revising is handled by you. Related: Batch Upload, Export, and Revise 

Batch upload – Also called batch import. A tool that allows you to upload multiple submissions simultaneously via an Excel spreadsheet or XML file. Your consultant is available to train you on how to use the batch upload tool, while the process of batch uploading is handled by you. Related: Batch Upload, Export, and Revise 

Boilerplate text – The default text that appears for submission instructions, submission agreements, email notifications, and site information pages (such as the “About” page). This text can be adjusted by your consultant, if desired.

Book gallery – Publication structure for showcasing books and monographs or other content including newspapers, yearbooks, or playbills. You can upload a cover image for each book that displays on the book information page, with thumbnails appearing on the main gallery page for browsing. You also have the ability to upload books as single files and/or collections of related files (e.g. chapters) that display together near the top of the page. Related: Book Galleries 

C

Collect – To use the Collection tool to display content from one publication structure in a different publication structure. See also “Collection tool” below.

Collection – Describes any set of related content organized by administrators within the repository regardless of the structure type used. See also “Community” and “Publication structure.” This term can also refer to the Collection tool (see below). 

Collection tool – A feature within the Configuration section of the administrator tools that makes it possible to include submissions in more than one place. The Collection tool allows you to make a virtual copy of a submission and display it in other structures than the one it was uploaded to. Items can be manually collected or automatically collected using metadata filters. Related: The Collection Tool: How to Display Submissions in Multiple Publications 

Community – A container structure used to group together publication structures and create a virtual hierarchy. Communities hold other communities or publication structures, but do not hold content. They are often used for units at an institution, such as a department or center. Related: DC Structure Types: Publications and Communities 

Configuration – The administrator page available at the site level and in each structure on the site that contains settings for controlling the options, or configurations, at that level. The Configuration page is accessible from the back end of the repository or from the Administrator Toolbar. Related: Digital Commons Administrator Configurations 

Content – The items you add to the repository, whether by uploading them or embedding them on article information pages. Content is held in publication structures.

Content Carousel – An image feature that rotates through images alongside their descriptions pulled from a specified Digital Commons image gallery. Content Carousels can be enabled in many places in the repository, including at the site level, in communities, and in publication structures. Related: Displaying Logos, Images, and Slideshows on Your Site 

Content tour – A consultant-led training about the variety of publication types and features available on a Digital Commons repository. This is a great opportunity to discuss ideas for initial collections, discuss campus outreach strategies, and plan 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month goals. 

Cover page – A page automatically added to the beginning of article PDFs with the site title, article title, author(s), and other key information. The cover page includes links to the article and publication structure, which are useful for visitors who may reach the PDF directly through search engines. Cover pages can feature a custom logo, if desired. 

D

Design process – The process of implementing a custom design for a repository, a journal, or an event community. The design process occurs when setting up a new site, journal, or event and also for redesigns that are available annually to use if desired. Related: Design Customization Guide for Sites, Journals, and Events 

Design tour – A call with a consultant that explains the site design process and options.

Discoverability – When content is easy to find via a search engine, within an application, or on a website. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is one of the primary ways that Digital Commons increases content discoverability. See also “Search Engine Optimization (SEO).” Related: Search Engine Optimization: Features and Best Practices 

Display label – The name for a metadata field that users see on the submission form and on the article information page if the field is set to display. This is as opposed to the back-end value (see above). You may choose the display label for most metadata fields. Related: Metadata Options in Digital Commons 

DOI – Stands for “Digital Object Identifier.” A number string that is a unique, persistent identification code for a particular item. The DOI remains the same even if the URL of the item changes. Related: Digital Object Identifiers 

Domain Name System (DNS) setup – A process that begins after you complete the site setup form and request a URL for your site. You will register a domain or adjust settings for an existing domain, and your consultant will guide you through the steps.

E

Embargo – A form of access control that restricts access to an item before a certain date. Related: Access Control and Embargoes: Options for Restricting Content 

Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETD) series – Similar to a series. Includes default metadata configured for theses and dissertations, such as Degree Type and Advisor, and supports a workflow to manage the stages of students’ theses and dissertations. Related: Publishing to an ETD Series 

Event – The individual submissions to an event community (see below).

Event community – A publication structure used to organize and create event listings, often as part of academic conferences. This structure can hold event material for different departments, organizations, or groups within institutions. It’s a good choice for representing any content organized by time: groups of presentations, theme weeks, meeting minutes, weekend seminars, exhibitions, concert series, etc. Event communities are eligible for custom designs via our three-iteration design process. Related: Event Communities: Hosting Conferences, Symposia, and Proceedings; Event Community Setup Form 

External add-on – A third-party widget or feature that can be added to your Digital Commons site. If a third-party widget is not already approved for Digital Commons use, we will submit the add-on for review by our technical team. We have more than 50 approved external add-ons that you can add to your site, such as for comments, timelines, or Scopus badges. Related: Working with Consulting Services and Requesting Changes for the IR  

F

Footer – The section at the bottom of site pages that contains the same links as the navigation bar, along with the Digital Commons logo and our accessibility, privacy, and copyright statements. Custom links and/or a logo can be added to the footer during the initial design or a redesign. Related: Design Customization Guide for Sites, Journals, and Events 

Front end – The public part of the repository that external users interact with and have access to; it is where the content and structures of the repository are available to site visitors.

Full text – The primary file for a submission in the repository. This usually refers to a text-based work such as an article. 

G

Group – To place a publication structure within a community using the Group tool (see below).

Group tool – A feature within the Configuration section of the administrator tools that allows you nest a structure within a community. This creates a virtual hierarchy and allows for flexibility in organizing your structures in your IR. Related: Creating a Hierarchy with the Group Tool 

H

Harvesting – Collecting open access works from one platform or database for posting on another platform. 

Harvesting tool – A feature in Digital Commons that has integration with several platforms and databases that allows import of scholarly works from those platforms to your Digital Commons IR. Related: Digital Commons Harvesting Tool: Populating the IR with Faculty Records 

Header banner – The image in the header area at the top of the site featuring the site title. See also “Banner.” Related: Design Customization Guide for Sites, Journals, and Events  

I

Image gallery – Publication structure designed to showcase photographs and other visual content in a grid display or alternate list display. Image galleries are also used to populate image slideshows and content carousels that can display images in other structures in the repository. You can upload the following file types to image galleries: .jpg, .jp2, .jpx, .tif, .bmp, .png, .eps, and stationary .gifs. Related: Image Galleries 

Indexing – The automatic process of capturing article metadata in published content for search and discovery purposes. Content in Digital Commons is indexed for search on your site and made available for indexing in other resources such as Google. (Note: With journals, “indexing” can also refer specifically to inclusion in bibliographic databases.)

IR – Institutional Repository. Refers to the DC repository that your institution uses. See also “Repository.”

ISSN/e-ISSN – An 8-digit serial number used to uniquely identify a publication. A separate ISSN is needed for each medium, which is why there is an e-ISSN if the content is published in an online version, and an ISSN if the content is published in a physical format. 

J

Journal – Publication structure used to publish volumes/issues of content with submission, review, and editorial tools. When you want to build a new journal on your site, you will fill out a journal setup form and send it to your consultant. Journals are eligible for custom designs via our three-iteration design process. Related: Managing and Publishing Journals; Journal Setup Form

K

Kick-off call – A call to talk about the goals of the repository and introduce the consultant.

L

Logo – Any image used to represent your structure or repository. Logos can be placed in the header banner; above the introductory text; in the sidebar; or in the footer. You can also add logos to the cover pages of your article PDFs.

M

Main content area – The area of a page in the IR where you will find introductory text, published content (such as current issues for journals), browse links (on the homepage), and other features, such as the readership map.

Manage Submissions – The administrator page within a publication structure that contains editorial and publishing tools. The Manage Submissions page allows administrators/editors to view the status of each submission and to access Submission Details pages for posting, revising, and other editorial tasks.

Metadata field – Metadata is information used to describe a submission, such as its author and publication date. In Digital Commons, each of these details is entered and stored in a metadata field for display on the submission form and/or on the published article information page. You can customize metadata fields on a structure-by-structure basis. Metadata fields have both a back-end value (e.g., document_type), used when performing such activities as batch importing/revising or OAI harvesting, and a front-end or display label (e.g., Document Type) that displays in most other locations. Related: Metadata Options in Digital Commons 

Metadata page – Another name for the article information page where an item’s metadata displays publicly along with a download button (if a full-text file is present).

Migration – The moving of content from another platform to your Digital Commons repository or journal. Migration steps are usually carried out as part of the setup process. Related: Migrating a Journal to Digital Commons 

Moving wall – A type of access control that will limit access to full texts before or after a general time frame, while making the remaining content available to all. It is often used to restrict recent issues to subscribers only. Can be used in combination with access control by IP, email domain, or user email/account. Related: Access Control and Embargoes: Options for Restricting Content 

N

Native file type – The original version of the file uploaded to the site. This usually refers to files that don't automatically convert to PDF (e.g., Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint files, etc.), though it can also refer to files that do convert to PDF (Word and RTF). Native files can be downloaded via the Download button when the “Allow native file download“ configuration is enabled in a structure.

Navigation bar – The bar above or below the header banner which contains tabs linking to your Home, About, FAQ, and My Account pages. Tabs can be customized during the initial design or a redesign. Related: Design Customization Guide for Sites, Journals, and Events 

O

OAI – Stands for Open Archives Initiative. The OAI Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH) provides a simple way for Digital Commons repositories (and other repositories) to expose metadata for their records so it can be harvested and displayed in other places, such as Encore, Primo, WorldCat, ProQuest, and EBSCO, among others. Related: Digital Commons and OAI-PMH: Outbound Harvesting of Repository Records 

OpenURL – An OpenURL is designed to make it as easy as possible for a reader to get the full text of a document. This is helpful if a preprint, draft version, or no version of the document is uploaded to the repository. When a visitor clicks an OpenURL link, Digital Commons checks if we have an institutional link resolver on file for the visitor's IP address. If so, we pass along information about that article and the link resolver takes the visitor to the official version of the document in the library's holdings/subscriptions. This allows visitors to find the most appropriate version of a document, including the official version if it is available to them.

ORCID – ORCID is an author identification service that assigns each author a unique ID. This helps with author disambiguation. For instance, there may be a lot of authors with the same name, but each author would have a unique ORCID ID. While not currently integrated with Digital Commons, ORCID integration is on the Product Roadmap. In the meantime, you can create a custom ORCID metadata field.

P

PDF conversion – The automatic process that converts Word or RTF primary files to PDF.

PlumX Metrics – Combines traditional metrics such as downloads from any source with alternative metrics (altmetrics) to track the impact of research output. A PlumX Metrics widget, called the Plum Print, is enabled by default on article metadata pages in Digital Commons repositories. Users can click the widget to view a detail page for the article. Along with the widget and detail page, which are available to all visitors, administrators also have access to PlumX data within the DC Dashboard. Related: Measuring Impact with PlumX Metrics in Digital Commons 

Postprint – A version of a paper after it has been reviewed and revised, before it has been published. Many publishers are more lenient in allowing postprints to be added to repositories than the published versions.

Preprint – A version of a paper before it has been reviewed, revised, and published. Many publishers are more lenient in allowing preprints to be added to repositories than the published versions.

Preview – An option in Digital Commons to view what a publication structure or article page will look like once it is updated. 

Primary file – The main work that you post with a submission. This file will be downloaded via the Download button on the article information page. Can be text-based or another type of file.

Publication structure – A content structure in a Digital Commons repository that can hold published records. The six types of publication structures are: journal, book gallery, image gallery, event community, series, and ETD (Electronic Theses and Dissertations) series. One or more publication structures can be grouped into a community structure. A community can also be grouped into another community to simulate tiers in a hierarchy or other organizational labels. Related: DC Structure Types: Publications and Communities 

R

Repository – Refers to a Digital Commons institutional repository. A repository is a space where digital information is held, organized, and distributed.

S

Sandbox site – A site that mirrors many aspects of the live repository or standalone journal site, but which contains test content that is not indexed in search engines. The sandbox site allows administrators and editors to practice without having content accessed by external users. It is also where designs are first implemented prior to going live. 

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – A process to improve recognition by search engines of the relevance and popularity of a web page. A higher page ranking results in a larger number of site visitors. Also see “Discoverability.” Related: Search Engine Optimization: Features and Best Practices 

Seed content – Initial content that is uploaded to a site or publication structure. This term is usually used in reference to the planning of initial collections to be published to a repository. Related: Starting a New Collection 

Series – The most basic publication structure in Digital Commons. Series can contain diverse types of materials, including working papers, faculty articles, data, audio-video presentations, technical reports, gray literature, letters, and more. A series is typically used for text-based materials, but it can be used for any content that has a single primary file per record. When grouped to a community, multiple series can be combined together and with other publication types to create more meaningful collections. Related: Publishing to a Series 

Setup form – A document that you fill in with information about the settings and design that your institution wants for the repository, a journal, or an event community. Related: IR Setup Form; Journal Setup Form; Event Community Setup Form   

Site level – The pages and administrator tools that reside at the top level of the site, such as the homepage itself and the About, FAQ, Submit Research, and Collections pages. The Configuration page at the site level allows administrators to set site text, assign repository administrator permissions, access all structures, and preview and update the main site pages. The site level is distinct from the community level, publication structure level, and article level.

Slideshow – An image feature that rotates through images from a specified Digital Commons image gallery. Image slideshows can be enabled in many places in the repository, including at the site level, in communities, and in publication structures. Related: Displaying Logos, Images, and Slideshows on Your Site 

Structure – A community or publication structure in Digital Commons. Structures can be nested and combined to create larger collections. Each structure has a title (e.g., “Biology Faculty Publications”) that displays on its homepage as well as other locations that link to that structure. A structure also has a URL label (e.g., “biology_facpub”) that uniquely identifies the structure on the site and appears in its URL. Related: DC Structure Types: Publications and Communities 

Submission – An article or other item submitted to a publication structure so it can be published to the repository (upon approval by an administrator or editor). A submission can include a primary file such as a full-text article or it can be metadata-only. It may also contain additional files to supplement the primary file. Each submission is described by metadata like author, publication date, and document type (e.g., “article”).

Submission Details – The page within the Manage Submissions section of the administrator tools where administrators/editors can view a submission’s metadata, make revisions, conduct peer review, and publish the submission. This page is accessible by clicking a submission’s title on the main Manage Submissions page or via the “Edit submission” link on the Administrator Toolbar.

Supplemental content – Files that are uploaded to a submission to appear along with the primary file. A wide range of formats is accepted. Supplemental content appears in a section at the bottom of a submission’s article information page by default. See also “Additional Files.”

T

Theme – A sub-structure of an event community that is usually used to represent years in a recurring conference. A theme is similar to a volume in a journal structure. It can contain multiple tracks (schedules), but not events (submissions) directly. Each theme must have at least one track. Related: Event Communities: Hosting Conferences, Symposia, and Proceedings 

Track – A sub-structure of a theme within an event community (see “theme” above). A track is similar to an issue in a journal in that tracks hold the actual content. Tracks display as schedules that contain multiple events (submissions).

U

Update – When records are published and revised, or when changes are made to the HTML pages of the repository, an update must be run in order for these changes to appear publicly. Related: Updating the Site to Show Changes 

URL – Stands for “Uniform Resource Locator.” The string of words and characters starting with “https://” that is your unique site link.

URL label – A unique label that identifies a structure on the repository back end and in its public URL. An example might be “biology_facpub” for a series entitled Biology Faculty Publications. The URL label appears in the structure’s URL after the slash, e.g., “my.repository.edu/biology_facpub.” Must be lowercase, start with a letter, and use only dashes or underscores. Related: Starting a New Collection

Usage statistics - Metrics showing how many views or downloads occurred for files in the repository in a given period of time. Related: Digital Commons Dashboard; Author Dashboard: Real-Time Usage Statistics for Authors 

V

Virtual hierarchy – The organization of publications and structures that is created when structures are put into communities on a Digital Commons site. The structures and articles retain their URLs while users can browse them in the hierarchy you create using the Group tool. Related: Creating a Hierarchy with the Group Tool; Video: Site Organization 

X

XML – A coding language that defines a set of rules for encoding documents in a format that is both human-readable and machine-readable. Digital Commons accommodates the use of XML files to batch upload and batch revise content.