Premium access to Overleaf Professional, an online tool designed to make scientific and technical writing simpler and more collaborative, is now available to Vanderbilt students, faculty and staff free of charge, courtesy of the Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries.

Overleaf is a web-based LaTeX code editor that enables users to write, edit and publish scientific documents. It simplifies the creation of complex documents with precise layouts by incorporating equations, figures and bibliographies seamlessly, making it ideal for structured writing and eliminating the need to install LaTeX software locally.

"Overleaf is another powerful resource offered by the Heard Libraries that removes barriers to research and knowledge production while boosting innovation, collaboration and discovery," University Librarian Jon Shaw said. "We're proud to support the publication and dissemination through Open Access of Vanderbilt's vital research, which is driving scientific breakthroughs and addressing complex, global challenges."

Overleaf offers several key features, including:

• Project templates – Overleaf provides hundreds of templates for various types of documents, including journal articles, books, reports, CVs, résumés, posters and presentations.
• Online LaTeX editor – Users write in LaTeX code, and the platform compiles it into precisely formatted documents.
• Visual editor – For those new to LaTeX, a visual editor allows for formatting and creating elements like tables and figures without writing raw code.
• Real-time collaboration – Multiple users within and outside of Vanderbilt can work on the same document simultaneously, with features such as real-time track changes, commenting and in-document chat.
• Version control – Users can track a project's history, compare different versions of a document, and review changes made over time.
• Integrations – Overleaf integrates with other software and services, such as Zotero and Mendeley for bibliography management and GitHub for code hosting, which streamlines workflows.

Having access to a premium Overleaf subscription will be a "game changer" for researchers, educators and students across the Vanderbilt community, said Hirak Sarkar, an assistant professor at the College of Connected Computing.

"LaTeX is the de facto standard for writing and communicating scientific ideas, and Overleaf's collaborative environment—which enables unlimited synchronous editing of large documents—transforms how we create and share knowledge," he said. "This capability can turn fragmented lecture notes and research drafts across departments or even the institution into cohesive, evolving resources."

To get started, go to the Vanderbilt University on Overleaf portal, which includes a quick start guide, a Vanderbilt-specific template for dissertations, and an FAQ page.

Existing Overleaf users can link their accounts to the new Professional subscription using one of the following options.

• Accounts using a non-Vanderbilt email address can automatically enroll in the institutional subscription by adding and confirming your Vanderbilt email under the "Email and Affiliations" section. Click "Add New Email" and add your Vanderbilt address.
• Accounts using a Vanderbilt email address can confirm affiliation by signing in with existing credentials and clicking on the "Confirm Affiliation" button. Overleaf will send an email confirmation.

Those with an existing paid plan will be prompted to cancel their subscription when they link to the Vanderbilt subscription. To request a prorated refund for a paid subscription, email support@overleaf.com. Linking to Vanderbilt's institutional subscription will not impact membership in groups.