The repository, called ScholarSpace, is designed to act as a permanent record of papers, articles, data sets and other scholarly works created at GW. Anyone at GW can access these works for free through the website, and are just required to cite them when repurposed in their own work.

“Creating an institutional repository was a natural progression because we have had increased demand from faculty who want to share their work with multiple groups and students who want more access to journal articles and research,” Matt Mihalik, the libraries’ director of information technology, said in the release.

The repository is modeled after similar projects at Rice and Harvard universities, according to the release.

To upload work, faculty, staff and students can fill out forms online and library staff will publish and manage the submitted materials.

The announcement comes during Open Access Week at schools across the country.

ScholarSpace opens after the Faculty Senate voted in favor of an open access policy last winter. Some faculty hesitated to favor the open access policy, because it could be difficult for professors who publish in journals that own the copyright to the scholarly works.