Library Resources for Faculty

What is Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech?

• Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech is the university's digital repository, offering worldwide access to research, educational resources, scholarship, campus publications and other creative works by members of the Michigan Tech community. Visit the Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech FAQ page for more information.

Why would I want to post my work in Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech?

• Making work openly accessible online in the repository may lead to wider readership, as it does not require user fees or subscription access. Items in Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech are also search engine-optimized, meaning that they appear high in the search results of search engines like Google.

I already post my work on ResearchGate.net or Academia.edu, what are the benefits of posting it in Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech?

• Each work deposited in Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech is assigned a durable URL that can be used to reliably link to the work on resumes and other websites, including personal sites or networking and sharing sites like Academia.edu and ResearchGate.net. Linking your work on several sites will increase discoverability and could enhance your professional profile.

How will I know if readers are accessing my work on Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech?

• Authors with content in Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech receive a monthly report with download statistics, allowing them to see exactly how many readers have discovered their work through Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech.

Who can I contact to learn more about Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech?

• Please email library@mtu.edu and a member of our Scholarly Communications team will be in touch.

What is SelectedWorks?

• SelectedWorks is a platform used to create Michigan Tech branded faculty profiles. These profiles are highlighted on Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech here: http://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/sw_gallery.html.

What are the benefits of a SelectedWorks profile?

• A SelectedWorks profile is a great way to effectively present research activities and increase visibility to potential funders and your disciplinary colleagues! Having a SelectedWorks profile allows you to showcase your entire body of work, not just what is associated with your Michigan Tech activities. The library can easily transfer works in Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech to your SelectedWorks profile. Additional biographical information, research interests, and links to relevant web pages can also be included.
• SelectedWorks boasts the same stable URLs to reliably link to works, as well as access to an author dashboard that provides download statistics and a readership map showing where users are located. Your SelectedWorks and Digital Commons dashboards are automatically merged for comprehensive and convenient stats.
• Unique to SelectedWorks, the profiles are transportable. If an author leaves Michigan Tech, the profile is still theirs to manage at no cost - only the university branding would change. Faculty are able to create and modify their profiles as they wish, or request the library to develop one for them.

I’d like a SelectedWorks author profile. What should I do?

• Library staff is happy to assist faculty and staff with creating SelectedWorks profiles. Please contact library@mtu.edu for more information on how to get started.