Accessing ETDs

1. How will people be able to access my eTD?
2. How do I correct my eTD after it appears on the University Libraries server?
3. How does the eTD initiative relate to UMI Dissertation Services?
4. How does UMI receive a copy of my electronic dissertation?

1. How will people be able to access my eTD?

   If you allow your eTD to be freely available worldwide, which we recommend (see below for reasons and for discussion of other options), we will work to make your eTD as easily available as possible. First, we will allow access over the World Wide Web, so people can link to our collection for browsing, and even link directly to your eTD (with a special type of URL that is not subject to change). Second, in the record for your eTD that will be in the Penn State library catalog, we will have link information, so those searching that catalog can link directly to the eTD. Third, we will provide one or more search engines so that people can search the Penn State eTD collection using "full-text" searching. Fourth, we will have a mechanism so that your eTD can be found by anyone seeking to search the NDLTD (i.e., the full distributed collection of ETDs made available by institutions that are part of the initiative). Fifth, we will work with third party organizations, such as UMI and OCLC (a not-for-profit in Dublin, Ohio that provides library cataloging and other services to libraries), to encourage them to provide access as well as archiving services

2. How do I correct my eTD after it appears on the University Libraries server?

   Once your committee and the Graduate School have approved your eTD, that version is a matter of University record and will be archived as such. You may not make any corrections. For this reason, you and your committee must check the eTD thoroughly before submitting it.

3. How does the eTD initiative relate to UMI Dissertation Services?

   UMI Dissertation Services, a Web-based service of ProQuest, maintains a microform archive of about 1.5 million dissertations, as well as an online service called Dissertation Abstracts. Most dissertations written in the United States are submitted to UMI for archiving on microfilm, from which microform or paper copies can be produced. UMI functions as an on-demand book publisher that eliminates the editorial process. One of the services they offer is to help you regarding copyright and working with publishers.

   They accept electronic submissions as well as paper submissions. The latter are scanned in and OCR'ed, but in most cases current technology does not yield as good a result as would come from an electronic submission. UMI plans to make available online electronic versions of all works they received after 1996.

   UMI has a representative on the Steering Committee and on the Technical Advisory Committee for the NDLTD. More information about UMI can be found at http://www.infolearning.com/hp/Support/DServices/.

   The NDLTD project focuses on graduate education and raising the level of knowledge transfer. Since students may wish to read a thesis or dissertation that was prepared many years before, it is imperative that the NDLTD arrange for archiving of ETDs, so they can be accessed even when media and technology change. UMI, as well as OCLC, is interested in providing such archival services.

4. How does UMI receive a copy of my electronic dissertation?

   Once UMI receives the appropriate documentation from Penn State, they will:

   • Download the eTD from our server
   • Put the eTD on their eTD server (pay-per-view)
   • Print a paper copy (black and white)
   • Photograph the paper onto microfilm
   • Store the microfilm in their argon vaults
   • Shred the paper copy
   • Publish your abstract in "Dissertation Abstracts"

   The author gets a 10 percent commission when UMI sells copies, paid on the "sevens" (7, 17, 27, ...).