Frequently Asked Questions


See the About page for additional information about Carleton Digital Commons.

Do I need to create an account?

You only need an account if you are going to publish something in Carleton Digital Commons (CDC). If you are a current Carleton faculty, student, or staff you already have an account if you log in with your Carleton username and password. If you are from outside of Carleton, you will have to create an account.

{ top }

How do I log in?

Click on the My Account link at the top of the page.

  • If you are a current Carleton faculty, student, or staff, enter your Carleton username (NOT your full email address) and password.
  • If you are from outside of Carleton, enter the email address and password you set up for your account.
  • If you are an alum trying to access work you published in CDC as an undergrad, please contact the CDC administrators at digitalcommons.group@carleton.edu for login information.

{ top }

How do I revise something I have submitted to Carleton Digital Commons?
  • If your submission has already been published in CDC, contact the CDC administrators at digitalcommons.group@carleton.edu with the revised version.
  • If your submission has not been published yet, you may revise it via your My Account page:
    • Locate the article on your My Account page, and click the title.
    • Click Revise Submission from the list of options in the left sidebar.
    • 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.)

{ top }

Can I see reports on how many people have downloaded my work?

Yes, all authors are emailed a monthly readership report for their work published in CDC. Additionally, you can log into your account and click on the “Dashboard” link at the top of the page. The Dashboard allows you to explore the usage statistics of your work in more depth. Learn more about using the Dashboard.

{ top }

What file formats are accepted?

Carleton Digital Commons can publish nearly any file format, though it is optimized to work with PDFs. The system does not work well with file types that require dynamic rendering, such as interactive visualizations and HTML. Please note that users who download your files must have the necessary software to open them; that software is not provided by the Carleton Digital Commons system.

{ top }

Can I stream audio and video files on CDC?

Yes, Carleton Digital Commons can stream audio and video files with its embedded media player.

{ top }

Can I publish related files (e.g. sound clips, images, spreadsheets, etc.) alongside the primary file?

Yes, the Carleton Digital Commons system refers to these supplementary items as Associated Files. You will be prompted to submit Associated Files when you upload your primary file. The name of the files you upload will appear on the web site along with your short description of it.

Please be sure that there are no permissions issues related to the use of the associated files. Sometimes, especially with images, you must request permission to use the material before it can be published online. Also note that where possible, items such as images, charts and tables that are referenced in the document (or are otherwise an integral part of the document) should be included directly in the primary file itself and not published just as associated files.

{ top }

What is open access?

Open access is the practice of making research and other creative work freely available online, and it frequently grants members of the public permissive rights for the use of the work. See the SPARC website for more information about open access.

{ top }

How do I know whether I have the rights to publish something in CDC?

If you have already published the work with a publisher, check the author agreement you signed with the publisher. You may have retained the rights to publish the work in your institutional repository. If you have not already published the work and you are the original author of it, then you have the rights to publish it here provided it is within scope of CDC. Copyright can be complicated and confusing, so please reach out to CDC administrators at digitalcommons.group@carleton.edu if you have additional questions.

{ top }

Can I publish 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 publish the reprint on your repository site, you're welcome to do so. Permissions for many publishers can be found at SHERPA RoMEO.

{ top }

A working paper in Carleton Digital Commons 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 in Carleton Digital Commons. The repository would constitute non-commercial use.

Assuming the working paper does remain published in CDC, it is a good idea to include the citation to the published article on the cover page of the working paper. Please contact the CDC administrators at digitalcommons.group@carleton.edu to request this change.

{ top }