How to avoid receiving a takedown notice from a publisher (and what to do if you get one!) - CARL - ABRC

"Many researchers make copies of their research articles available on their own personal websites and in their institution’s repository. These authors do this because they understand that this type of open access will provide greater exposure to their work, leading potentially to increased citations. They know that free online access to their articles provides access to a broader audience, including those who cannot afford journal subscriptions. In most instances publishers, including Elsevier, allow pre- and post-print versions to be publicly archived in such a manner. Very few publishers allow an author to self - archive the ‘pretty’ publisher's version/PDF. Elsevier made the news for demanding that members of Academia.edu take down copies of their articles. Elsevier is well within its rights to demand that the final published versions of their articles be removed from any open environment - its copyright transfer agreement stipulated those terms, and the authors signed that agreement.  The company was merely enforcing its rights.   If you receive a notice, stay calm.  You have options which will remedy the immediate situation and other options which will prevent this from happening in the future ..."