Frequently Asked Questions

If your question is not listed below, you are more than welcome to reach out to the Digital Initiatives and Scholarly Communication (DISC) Librarian, Avi Bauer, at abraham.bauer@bc.edu or 617-552-8602.

 

What does LIRA stand for?

"LIRA@BC Law" stands for the Legal Institutional Repository and Archives at Boston College Law School.

 

What is LIRA?

LIRA is an open access repository, gathering the scholarly and creative output of the members of the Boston College Law School community and managed by the Boston College Law Library.

 

Who can deposit works in LIRA?

All members of the Boston College Law School community, including faculty, staff, and current students, who are interested in having their work included in LIRA are welcome to reach out to the DISC Librarian.

 

I don't have electronic versions of old working papers that I'd like to include in the repository. Is it okay to scan the printed page to a PDF file?

Yes, scanning printed pages is a great way to create PDF files for inclusion in the repository. The Law Library staff is happy to work with you to make sure scans of your paper are of the highest quality and accessibility, including using OCR (Optical Character Recognition) to make the full text of the scanned document searchable and legible to screen readers.

 

Can I post a reprint from a journal?

In many cases, yes. First, determine whether you signed exclusive or non-exclusive rights with the publisher. If you have an exclusive contract with your publisher, you must request permission to place the work in the repository. To learn more about publishers' policies and digital commons see SHERPA-RoMEO (Rights Metadata for Open Archiving), or contact the DISC Librarian.

 

What should I do if a working paper in the repository is published in a slightly revised form in a journal?

Many journals do not have any restrictions on working papers that preceded an article, especially if substantial revisions were made. You should check your author agreement with the journal to confirm that there is no problem with leaving the working paper on the site. The repository would constitute noncommercial use.

Assuming the working paper does remain on posted in the repository, it is a good idea to include the citation to the published article in the metadata record attached to the repository working paper. Please contact the DISC Librarian to request this change.

 

How do I revise a work posted to LIRA?

To modify a record that has been posted to the repository, contact the DISC Librarian with the updated version of the item and/or information that you would like revised.

 

Who can access my work(s)? 

By default, all works deposited in LIRA will be made openly and globally accessible.

 

How long will the work(s) be made available in the repository? 

LIRA is committed to providing long-term access to all deposited content by applying best practices for data management and digital preservation while acknowledging the complexities involved in preserving digital information. 

 

What do I do if I need accessibility assistance?

Please contact the DISC Librarian should you need accessibility assistance to access any materials in the repository.