Main page content

Ask Us

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of UL Lafayette's institutional repository?

UL Lafayette's institutional repository is an online space that brings together and provides open access to the University's scholarship and intellectual content.


What platform is the repository run on?

The repository is run on Islandora OnDemand, a software as a service from discoverygarden. Islandora is an open-source digital repository system based on Fedora Commons, Drupal, and a host of additional applications.


Who can submit materials into the repository?

Anyone who is affiliated with the University community. This includes, but is not limited to faculty, staff, graduate and undergraduate students, faculty emeriti, research centers, and University programs.


What types of contents and formats are accepted into the repository?

The repository accepts electronic PDF documents, audio/video, photographs, images, and others. Materials can be submitted as .doc, .docx, and .rtf, but are displayed as PDF documents. PowerPoint presentations are accepted, but should be converted to PDF before uploading. All images files, including .jpg, .gif, .png, and .tiff are acceptable.


How is the repository organized?

The repository is organized by college/school, research centers, and University organizations. Within each college/school, there are collections for each individual department. This is also the case with research centers and organizations.


How do I submit content to the repository?

Please contact Edith Garland Dupré Library's Head of Special Collections. An account will be set up for you to submit content. Once the account is set up, follow these directions:

  1. Navigate to the department or research center that you are affiliated with by clicking Collections or Browse at the top of the page. You can also type the name of the department/center in the search engine.
  2. Once inside the appropriate folder, go to the four tabs at the top of the page and click Manage. You will then be directed to a new page.
  3. Click Add an object to this Collection.
  4. You will then be asked to select a content model; select the content model that best fits the format of the content you are submitting (Citation, Book, Video, Thesis, etc.), and then click Next. For articles in PDF form, use the Citation Content Model.
  5. Do not worry about uploading a MARCXML record. Simply click Next.
  6. Add your appropriate metadata. Once finished, click Next.
  7. Upload your content and then press Ingest.

If you would like the Library to submit on your behalf, please send the content to Edith Garland Dupré Library's Digitization Archivist.

Can I set embargoes on the content I submit?

Yes. Once content is uploaded, simply click the Manage tab. Once on this page, click the Embargo tab on the right. You can then set how long the embargo will last.

I have just submitted my content. Why am I not able to see it or the metadata?

The content must wait for review by a repository administrator. Once approved, the content will be published to the repository and displayed along with its metadata.


Can I submit content to more than one collection if my research pertains to multiple departments and/or research centers (e.g. History Department and Center for Louisiana Studies)?

Yes. For authenticated users with accounts, repository administrators can set accounts so that users can share content with other collections. Users also have the ability to migrate their content if they feel it belongs in a different collection.


How do I know what the copyright status is on the content I submit?

Those submitting content must check with publishers to see what versions of a published work can be included in the repository. There are often three versions of published works:

  • preprints - manuscript version before peer-review
  • postprints - author's final version after peer-review, or "author's accepted version"
  • published - the publishers version that includes their markup and formatting.

For more information on which versions are accepted for particular journals, visit the SHERPA/RoMEO website (http://www.sherpa.ac.uk/romeo/index.php)


What happens if I have to edit my submissions, such as replacing an outdated article or correcting metadata?

Authenticated users with accounts have the ability to update content and metadata. Please notify repository administrators if this needs to happen.


Who should I contact if I have questions about the institutional repository?

For more information on UL Lafayette's institutional repository, please contact the repository administrators: