CC-BY publishing and reader permissions

Definitions:

Completed Graphic: Includes any published or printed material, including websites and social media, containing BioRender Content.

CC-BY 4.0 license: Refers to the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) 4.0 license. It allows others to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the original work, as long as they give proper credit to the creator.  Most Open Access journals publish articles under this licensing model in support of open science communication.  

Publication License: This refers to the written permission from BioRender that allows users to publish or share the scientific figures they have created using BioRender in external publications such as journals, articles, or presentations.

For Authors:

When you (the author) publish your figure (Completed Graphic) in an Open Access journal subject CC-BY licensing (after you generate a Publication License in BioRender), that means your figure will be available for viewing, modification and re-use by a journal reader.  

When a journal reader wants to view your published figure in full resolution:

1. They will need to click on the unique figure URL link included with your published figure.
2. This action will take the reader to a visitor landing page which includes a full resolution image of your figure, citation and licensing information.  

3. The reader will need to select Request an editable version on the visitor page if the reader wishes to use and make edits to your figure as permitted under the CC-BY licensing of the Open Access journal.

4. This allows them to request to adapt your figure to be a BioRender public template for readers to view, copy, and modify the figure. You can determine the level of access you’d like to grant.

Please note that disabling public access for an open-access figure published under a CC-BY license will make the figure inaccessible to everyone and any CC-BY publication license granted for this figure will be revoked.

For Open-Access Journal Readers:  

The re-use/modification options below are available after the reader requests the author to adapt their figure as a BioRender template and the author has granted such access.   

1. View-Only/Free Plan Use: A reader who wishes to only view the Completed Graphic may do so in the BioRender Services as either a BioRender Free Plan user or simply as a viewer. By becoming a BioRender Free Plan user, the reader may view, modify (as permitted by author) and re-use the Completed Graphic as permitted under BioRender’s Basic License Terms (e.g. personal use only, no publishing or commercial use permitted).  
2. Re-Use/Publish with No Modifications:  For any re-use and re-publication of a Completed Graphic with no modification(s) to the Completed Graphic made by the reader, a reader may do so by citing the original author using the citation noted in the BioRender-hosted visitor landing page that displays the Completed Graphic. The reader must also comply with the underlying License Terms which apply to the Completed Graphic (e.g. no commercial use for Academic License). 
3. Re-Use/Publish with Modifications: For any re-use and re-publication of a Completed Graphic with any modification(s) made by the reader (e.g. adding onto, deleting components of, or other editing of the Completed Graphic for subsequent publishing use), the reader may do so by becoming a BioRender user themselves under either a paid Academic or Industry Plan, citing the original author using the unique figure URL with the Completed Graphic and complying with the applicable License Terms.  Please see our Academic and Industry License Terms for the use permissions and restrictions for the Academic and Industry plans.     

If you have any questions or concerns:

Open the chat messenger (on the bottom right corner) or email us at (support@biorender.com).