Frequently Asked Questions

Don't see your question? Find our contact information in the "Contact Us" link in the sidebar!

How do I create an account in Digital Commons?

A guide for creating your account can be found here.

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I don't have electronic versions of old working papers that I'd like to include in the repository. Is it okay to scan the printed page to a PDF file?

Yes--scanning printed pages is a great way to create PDF files for inclusion in the repository. There are two ways to scan a page: using OCR (Optical Character Recognition) or scanning the page as an image. Making OCR scans requires careful proofreading and loses the original formatting of the documents. Image scans cannot be searched. The best solution takes advantage of both of these methods. Many software applications allow for the OCR capture of image scans. When documents are scanned this way, users see the image scan but search the full-text of the document. This is the preferred method for scanning documents for the repository.

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When I copy and paste abstracts into the Submit form, some formatted text reverts to plain text. What's going on?

When copying abstracts from a word processing file or a PDF file, and pasting the text into the submission form, you are taking text from an environment that supports fonts and text style changes. Because the abstract is intended to be presented on the web, text styles must be specified using HTML codes.

If submitting an abstract in HTML format, please be sure to select the corresponding option on the submission form.

The following HTML tags are recognized by the system and may be used to format an abstract (use lowercase tags):

  • <p> - paragraph
  • <br> - line break
  • <strong> - strong/bold
  • <em> - italics/emphasis
  • <sub> - subscript
  • <sup> - superscript

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How do I include accents and special characters in the abstracts and titles?

The repository software supports the worldwide character set (Unicode, utf-8). Accents, symbols, and other special characters may be copied and pasted into the abstract or title field from a word processing file or typed in directly. Windows users may also use the Character Map to insert these characters. Macintosh users may use the Character Palette (available via Edit > Special Characters in the Finder).

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How do I revise a submission?

To revise a submission that has been posted to the repository, contact the repository administrator with the new version.

If the submission has been submitted, but not yet posted, you may revise it via your My Account page:

  1. Locate the article on your My Account page, and click the title.
  2. Click Revise Submission from the list of options in the left sidebar.
  3. Enter your changes in the Revise Submission form, and click Submit at the bottom of the page to submit your changes. (You only need to modify the portion of the form that corresponds to the changes you wish to make.)

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How can I submit a multi-part file, such as multiple chapters for a book?

Combine all the sections together as one Microsoft Word file or PDF file and submit that.

To make one PDF file from multiple files, open the first PDF file, then choose Document>Insert Pages from Acrobat's menus to insert the second file (indicate it should go after the last page of the first file), and repeat for all documents. The result will be one compound PDF file which may then be submitted.

If you feel that the one large PDF file might be too large for some people to download, we suggest that you submit the consolidated file as the full text of the article, and then upload the separate chapters or sections of the document as Associated Files. These files will appear on the web page alongside the complete document. For more information about uploading associated files, see "Can I post related files..." below.

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Can I post related files (sound clips, data sets, etc.) alongside the published article?

Yes. The bepress system refers to these supplementary items as Associated Files. You will be prompted to submit Associated Files when you upload your submissions. The name of the files you upload will appear on the web site along with your short description of it. Viewers must have the necessary software to open your files; that is not provided by the bepress system.

Please be sure that there are no permissions issues related to use of the associated material. Sometimes, especially with images, you must write a letter seeking permission to use the material before it can be posted.

Also note that where possible, items such as images, charts and tables that are referenced in the document (or otherwise an integral part of the document) should be included directly in the article itself and not posted just as associated files.

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How do I know what rights I have to self-archive or post previously published work?

It’s going to depend on the contract you signed with the publisher (also called a "publication agreement" or "copyright transfer agreement"). Often agreements will allow you to self-archive a version of the article (preprint, postprint or published version) with specific limitations. Self-archiving includes uploading a copy to an institutional repository (such as this one) or a personal website. Many scholars also choose to self-archive their work before signing any publication agreement.

You can check Sherpa Romeo to learn more about self-archiving rights offered by specific journals before you decide where to publish.

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Can I post a reprint from a journal?

It depends on what the journal allows, which is usually specified in their agreement with the author. If it would not violate copyright to post the reprint on your repository site, you're welcome to do so. Permissions for many publishers can be found at Sherpa Romeo.

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A working paper in our repository site has been published in a slightly revised form in a journal. What should I do?

Many journals do not have any restrictions on working papers that preceded an article, especially if substantial revisions were made. You should check your author agreement with the journal to confirm that there is no problem with leaving the working paper on the site. The repository would constitute noncommercial use.

Assuming the working paper does remain on posted in the repository, it is a good idea to include the citation to the published article on the cover page of the repository working paper. Please contact the repository administrator to request this change.

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Equity Statement for Archival and Special Collections

Library Services at Pittsburg State University is committed to addressing biased or racist language and the erasure of marginalized individuals and communities in the archival and bibliographic description or exhibition of our collections. We try to describe library materials and their creators respectfully, accurately, and with understanding for the communities who use or are represented in the materials. We acknowledge the need for the critical examination of descriptive and bibliographic practices, and that to identify, correct, or contextualize problematic language and expressions is an ongoing and iterative process universal to all libraries and archives.

We recognize that language and cultural expressions evolve. We further recognize archival materials held and exhibited by the Leonard H. Axe Library may contain historic language and images that are considered offensive and/or which marginalize various individuals and communities. Despite the discomfort or pain it might cause, it is important to retain and acknowledge the original biases and societal imbalances inherent in our archival materials. Archival in this context refers to archival collections and rare or unique materials found in a variety of formats, including analog prints, personal papers, photographs, audiovisual recordings, three dimensional objects, and digital materials – both digitized and born-digital.

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Application for Permission to Publish, Quote, Broadcast, or Exhibit Items from the Special Collections & University Archives

Information and reproductions are provided for reference use only. Permission to publish, exhibit or broadcast must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, Leonard H. Axe Library, Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, KS 66762. Please reach out to digitalcommons@pittstate.edu to receive and send an application form. Please see the Special Collections & University Archives web page here for all policies.

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Takedown Policy

Notice to users: These materials are made available for educational and scholarly use. Leonard H. Axe Library at Pittsburg State University makes effort to ensure that it has appropriate rights to provide access to content through the Digital Commons repository.

If you are a rights holder and are concerned that you have found material on Pittsburg State University’s Digital Commons@Pitt State repository without your permission and believe our inclusion of this material in the repository violates your rights (e.g. inclusion is not covered by the Fair Use or other exemption to a copyright holder’s rights), please contact digitalcommons@pittstate.edu and include the following:

  • Your contact information (email and phone number),
  • Exact URL where you found the material,
  • Details that describe the material (title, collection name, number of items, etc.),
  • The reason why you believe that your rights have been violated, with any pertinent documentation,
  • A statement that you in good faith believe that the use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law, and
  • A statement that the information in your notification is accurate and that you are the rights holder or are authorized to act on behalf of the owner.

Upon receipt of a request, library staff will:

  • Promptly acknowledge the request via email or other means of communication if you do not have an email account;
  • Assess the validity of the request;
  • Upon request, we may temporarily remove the material from public view while we assess the concern;
  • Upon completion of the assessment, we will take appropriate action and communicate that action to you.

      • More information about the takedown policy for Digital Commons@Pitt State can be found here. Further information on library policies, standards, and guidelines can be found on the Leonard H. Axe Library website. Also see the Campus Internet Copyright Policy.

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