diff --git a/doi2dataset/__init__.py b/doi2dataset/__init__.py
index b23e9f9..1c260d7 100644
--- a/doi2dataset/__init__.py
+++ b/doi2dataset/__init__.py
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ from .core import (
     Person,
     PrimitiveMetadataField,
 )
+from .core.constants import ICONS
 from .processing import (
     CitationBuilder,
     MetadataProcessor,
@@ -80,6 +81,8 @@ __all__ = [
     "Institution",
     "License",
     "Abstract",
+    # Constants
+    "ICONS",
     # Metadata fields
     "BaseMetadataField",
     "PrimitiveMetadataField",
diff --git a/doi2dataset/api/processors.py b/doi2dataset/api/processors.py
index d94cd57..a117366 100644
--- a/doi2dataset/api/processors.py
+++ b/doi2dataset/api/processors.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ from typing import Any
 
 from rich.console import Console
 
+from ..core.constants import ICONS
 from ..core.models import Abstract, License
 from .client import APIClient
 
@@ -66,9 +67,6 @@ class AbstractProcessor:
     Retrieves and processes abstracts from CrossRef and OpenAlex.
     """
 
-    # Icons for console output - TODO: should be moved to a constants module
-    ICONS = {"info": "ℹ️", "warning": "⚠️", "error": "❌"}
-
     def __init__(self, api_client: APIClient, console: Console | None = None):
         """
         Initialize with an APIClient instance.
@@ -98,7 +96,7 @@ class AbstractProcessor:
 
         if license.short in license_ok:
             self.console.print(
-                f"\n{self.ICONS['info']} License {license.name} allows derivative works. Pulling abstract from CrossRef.",
+                f"\n{ICONS['info']} License {license.name} allows derivative works. Pulling abstract from CrossRef.",
                 style="info",
             )
             crossref_abstract = self._get_crossref_abstract(doi)
@@ -106,18 +104,18 @@ class AbstractProcessor:
                 return Abstract(text=crossref_abstract, source="crossref")
             else:
                 self.console.print(
-                    f"\n{self.ICONS['warning']} No abstract found in CrossRef!",
+                    f"\n{ICONS['warning']} No abstract found in CrossRef!",
                     style="warning",
                 )
         else:
             if license.name:
                 self.console.print(
-                    f"\n{self.ICONS['info']} License {license.name} does not allow derivative works. Reconstructing abstract from OpenAlex!",
+                    f"\n{ICONS['info']} License {license.name} does not allow derivative works. Reconstructing abstract from OpenAlex!",
                     style="info",
                 )
             else:
                 self.console.print(
-                    f"\n{self.ICONS['info']} Custom license does not allow derivative works. Reconstructing abstract from OpenAlex!",
+                    f"\n{ICONS['info']} Custom license does not allow derivative works. Reconstructing abstract from OpenAlex!",
                     style="info",
                 )
 
@@ -126,12 +124,12 @@ class AbstractProcessor:
             return Abstract(text=openalex_abstract, source="openalex")
         else:
             self.console.print(
-                f"\n{self.ICONS['warning']} No abstract found in OpenAlex!",
+                f"\n{ICONS['warning']} No abstract found in OpenAlex!",
                 style="warning",
             )
 
         self.console.print(
-            f"\n{self.ICONS['warning']} No abstract found in either CrossRef nor OpenAlex!",
+            f"\n{ICONS['warning']} No abstract found in either CrossRef nor OpenAlex!",
             style="warning",
         )
         return Abstract(text="", source="none")
diff --git a/doi2dataset/cli.py b/doi2dataset/cli.py
index d092be3..6137b4a 100644
--- a/doi2dataset/cli.py
+++ b/doi2dataset/cli.py
@@ -23,28 +23,10 @@ from rich.progress import (
 from rich.table import Table
 from rich.theme import Theme
 
+from .core.constants import ICONS
 from .processing.metadata import MetadataProcessor
 from .utils.validation import normalize_doi, sanitize_filename, validate_email_address
 
-# Console icons for user-friendly output
-ICONS = {
-    "success": "✓",  # Simple checkmark
-    "error": "✗",  # Simple X
-    "warning": "!",  # Simple exclamation
-    "info": "ℹ",  # Info symbol
-    "processing": "⋯",  # Three dots
-    "done": "∎",  # Filled square
-    "file": "⨳",  # Document symbol
-    "folder": "⊞",  # Folder symbol
-    "clock": "◷",  # Clock symbol
-    "search": "⌕",  # Search symbol
-    "data": "≡",  # Three lines
-    "doi": "∾",  # Link symbol
-    "total": "∑",  # Sum symbol
-    "save": "⤓",  # Save/download arrow
-    "upload": "⤒",  # Upload arrow
-}
-
 # Theme configuration for Rich console output
 THEME = Theme(
     {
diff --git a/doi2dataset/core/constants.py b/doi2dataset/core/constants.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dacbe48
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doi2dataset/core/constants.py
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+"""
+Constants for doi2dataset.
+
+This module contains shared constants used across the application,
+including console icons and other configuration values.
+"""
+
+# Console icons for user-friendly output
+ICONS = {
+    # Status indicators
+    "success": "✓",  # Simple checkmark
+    "error": "✗",  # Simple X / ❌ (emoji alternative)
+    "warning": "!",  # Simple exclamation / ⚠️ (emoji alternative)
+    "info": "ℹ",  # Info symbol / ℹ️ (emoji alternative)
+    # Process indicators
+    "processing": "⋯",  # Three dots / ⚙️ (emoji alternative)
+    "done": "∎",  # Filled square
+    # File/data indicators
+    "file": "⨳",  # Document symbol
+    "folder": "⊞",  # Folder symbol
+    "save": "⤓",  # Save/download arrow
+    "upload": "⤒",  # Upload arrow
+    # UI elements
+    "clock": "◷",  # Clock symbol
+    "search": "⌕",  # Search symbol
+    "data": "≡",  # Three lines
+    "doi": "∾",  # Link symbol
+    "total": "∑",  # Sum symbol
+}
+
+# Alternative emoji-based icons for better visibility in some terminals
+EMOJI_ICONS = {
+    "success": "✅",
+    "error": "❌",
+    "warning": "⚠️",
+    "info": "ℹ️",
+    "processing": "⚙️",
+    "upload": "📤",
+    "save": "💾",
+}
+
+# Default icon set preference
+DEFAULT_ICONS = ICONS
diff --git a/doi2dataset/processing/metadata.py b/doi2dataset/processing/metadata.py
index b38bc21..e0e1a55 100644
--- a/doi2dataset/processing/metadata.py
+++ b/doi2dataset/processing/metadata.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ from rich.progress import Progress, TaskID
 from ..api.client import APIClient
 from ..api.processors import AbstractProcessor, LicenseProcessor
 from ..core.config import Config
+from ..core.constants import ICONS
 from ..core.metadata_fields import (
     CompoundMetadataField,
     ControlledVocabularyMetadataField,
@@ -41,17 +42,6 @@ class MetadataProcessor:
     building metadata blocks, and optionally uploading the dataset.
     """
 
-    # Icons for console output - TODO: should be moved to a constants module
-    ICONS = {
-        "processing": "⚙️",
-        "success": "✅",
-        "error": "❌",
-        "warning": "⚠️",
-        "info": "ℹ️",
-        "upload": "📤",
-        "save": "💾",
-    }
-
     def __init__(
         self,
         doi: str,
@@ -131,7 +121,7 @@ class MetadataProcessor:
             dict[str, Any]: The constructed metadata dictionary.
         """
         self.console.print(
-            f"{self.ICONS['processing']} Processing DOI: {self.doi}", style="info"
+            f"{ICONS['processing']} Processing DOI: {self.doi}", style="info"
         )
 
         data = self._fetch_data()
@@ -148,7 +138,7 @@ class MetadataProcessor:
         self._update_progress()
 
         self.console.print(
-            f"\n{self.ICONS['success']} Successfully processed: {self.doi}\n",
+            f"\n{ICONS['success']} Successfully processed: {self.doi}\n",
             style="success",
         )
         return metadata
@@ -177,14 +167,14 @@ class MetadataProcessor:
 
         if response is None or response.status_code != 201:
             self.console.print(
-                f"\n{self.ICONS['error']} Failed to upload to Dataverse: {url}",
+                f"\n{ICONS['error']} Failed to upload to Dataverse: {url}",
                 style="error",
             )
             raise ValueError(f"Failed to upload to Dataverse: {url}")
         else:
             perma = response.json().get("data", {}).get("persistentId", "")
             self.console.print(
-                f"{self.ICONS['upload']} Dataset uploaded to: {config.DATAVERSE['dataverse']} with ID {perma}",
+                f"{ICONS['upload']} Dataset uploaded to: {config.DATAVERSE['dataverse']} with ID {perma}",
                 style="info",
             )
 
@@ -205,7 +195,7 @@ class MetadataProcessor:
 
         if response is None or response.status_code != 200:
             self.console.print(
-                f"\n{self.ICONS['error']} Failed to fetch data for DOI: {self.doi}",
+                f"\n{ICONS['error']} Failed to fetch data for DOI: {self.doi}",
                 style="error",
             )
             raise ValueError(f"Failed to fetch data for DOI: {self.doi}")
@@ -238,7 +228,7 @@ class MetadataProcessor:
 
         if not corresponding_authors:
             self.console.print(
-                f"{self.ICONS['warning']}  No corresponding authors explicitly declared; PIs are used as a fallback!",
+                f"{ICONS['warning']}  No corresponding authors explicitly declared; PIs are used as a fallback!",
                 style="warning",
             )
             pis = self._get_involved_pis(data)
@@ -371,7 +361,7 @@ class MetadataProcessor:
             return f"<p>This {doc_type} was published on {publication_date} in <i>{journal}</i></p>"
 
         self.console.print(
-            f"{self.ICONS['warning']}  No abstract header added, missing information (journal, publication date and/or document type)",
+            f"{ICONS['warning']}  No abstract header added, missing information (journal, publication date and/or document type)",
             style="warning",
         )
         return ""
@@ -461,12 +451,12 @@ class MetadataProcessor:
                         metadata, f, indent=4, ensure_ascii=False, cls=CustomEncoder
                     )
                 self.console.print(
-                    f"{self.ICONS['save']} Metadata saved in: {self.output_path}",
+                    f"{ICONS['save']} Metadata saved in: {self.output_path}",
                     style="info",
                 )
             except Exception as e:
                 self.console.print(
-                    f"{self.ICONS['error']} Error saving metadata: {str(e)}\n",
+                    f"{ICONS['error']} Error saving metadata: {str(e)}\n",
                     style="error",
                 )
                 raise