> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://bcds.gitbook.io/using-open-journal-systems-best-practices-and-tool/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://bcds.gitbook.io/using-open-journal-systems-best-practices-and-tool/author-licenses.md).

# Author Licenses

When authors submit their work to your journal, it is important to clearly define the terms and conditions for further dissemination of the content or submission. Questions can include:

* Who has the right to share the work?
* Who can see the work?
* Can the author submit the work elsewhere?

Making sure that authors agree to the terms of your license ensure the safe and legal continuation of your journal. For Open Access Journals, including OJS, Creative Commons licenses are often use to protect the author's rights and give the publisher (in this case Boston College) important rights regarding sharing the work freely. Generally, this is a positive relationship between the author and the publisher - as the publisher can disseminate the work across a wide network of readers, while the author is able to retain copyright of the submission.