There are three types of groups on the Commons: public groups, private groups, and hidden groups.

Public groups will appear in the directory of groups, and anyone can join by clicking Join Group on the group’s page. All content in public groups is visible, even to people who aren’t logged in to the site.

Private groups will also appear in the directory of groups, but membership may be restricted in different ways. To request to join a private group, click Request Membership on the group’s page. If the request is approved, you’ll be able to view the group’s content.

Hidden groups won’t appear in the directory of groups, and their content is viewable only by their members. New members must be invited to join by existing group members.