SHERPA/RoMEO collects information about publisher policies related to online sharing (“archiving”) of works published in most journals. Journals and publishers are classified according to a color scheme that relate to the archive rights that authors retain. Authors are encouraged to research the policies of journals they have published in or are considering submitting a manuscript to ascertain what rights in that work they will retain. Authors who wish to publish a copy of their articles will want to look for journals classified as green or blue, then check on any additional restrictions.

The Creative Commons organization was founded in 2001 as a means of permitting creators to license their work for public use under conditions they specify. Although not an alternative to copyright and not an indication that a work is part of the public domain, Creative Commons licenses permit the holders of copyright to define more clearly, than perhaps modern copyright law interpretation allows, how their works may be used and give users of copyrighted works greater creative freedom when they know, without question, how copyrighted works can be incorporated into new creations.

Source: https://www.dontwasteyourtime.co.uk/elearning/creative-commons-infographic-licenses-explained/

Pre-print – A pre-print is the original version of the manuscript as it is submitted to a journal. While the authors may have sought help from their colleagues in selecting data analysis techniques, improving manuscript clarity, and correcting grammar, the pre-print has not been through a process of peer review. It typically looks like a term paper – a double spaced .doc file with minimal formatting.

Post-print – A post-print is a document that has been through the peer review process and incorporated reviewers’ comments. It is the final version of the paper before it is sent off the journal for publication. It may be missing a final copyedit (if the journal still does that) and won’t be formatted to look like the journal. It still looks like the double spaced .doc file. Sometimes, the term “pre-print” is used interchangeably with “post-print,” but when it comes to permissions issues, it is important to clarify which version of a manuscript is being discussed.

Publishers’ version/PDF – This is the version of record that is published on the publisher’s website. It will look quite spiffy, having been professionally typeset by the publisher. Library databases will link to this version of the paper.

• SPARC is an international alliance of academic and research libraries working to proliferate the ideals of open access publishing.
• SPARC Author's Addendum allows an author to modify a copyright agreement, retaining some rights.
• Creative Commons provides six free licenses to help authors control copyright.
• Check list from Creative Commons and FAQ to make sure your work is copyrightable and that you understand how a CC license operates.
• Sherpa/Romeo is a searchable database of publishers' policies.
• Sherpa/Juliet is a searchable database of grant funders' policy requirements for authors funded by grant awards.
• Copyright Clearing Center search for and obtain permission to use and share copyrighted content.
• Fair Use evaluator tool helps you better understand how to determine the "fairness" of a use under the U.S. Copyright Code.
• Public Domain Tools from Creative Commons enables copyright owners to dedicate their work to worldwide public domain.