Last Updated: February 2024

When you receive an ACE digitization request from an eligible user, please follow the steps below for submitting a request in the ACE Staff Portal. Note that this guide only covers the using the ACE request form. For a more detailed explanation of the ACE request process, please see the ACE Digitization Guide.

Filling out the Request Form

Once you have logged into the ACE Staff Portal, you can access the request form by clicking on “Request Form” in the ribbon at the top of the page.

Regardless of which type of item you are submitting, there are several key fields that must be filled out for every digitization request:

Title: the title of the item you are requesting.
Permalink: a link to the item for the purposes of collecting metadata.
- Where possible, please include the permalink to the item in WorldCat. If no WorldCat link is available, a link to the item in the Colleges Union Catalogue or your OPAC will suffice, but please ensure that it is a permalink and is publicly accessible to those outside of your college.
Acquisition: how you will be providing the item for digitization. For college ACE members, there are four possible options:
- “I will provide this item” - use this for items not already in the collection that you will ship to Internet Archive for digitization.
- “OCLS will acquire this item (colleges only)” - use this for items not already in the collection, but for which you do not have a scannable copy. OCLS will source a scannable copy from another college.
- “This item is already in ACE” - use this for items already in the ACE collection but to which your college does not have access. This may occur when an item has been digitized before your college acquired it. Scholars Portal will grant you access.
- “This item is in the Internet Archive’s accessible collection” - use this for items that are in the Internet Archive's Print Disabled Collection but not yet in the ACE collection. Scholars Portal will copy the item over and grant you access.
Date Needed: when you need access to the item by. Keep in mind that the Internet Archive typically has a 1-2 day turnaround time for scanning, but shipping times may add to that.

The other fields (ISBN, Volume, Notes) are optional, but please make use of them when needed. In particular, the ISBN field is especially useful as the request form will run an automated check to see if the title exists in the ACE collection or Internet Archive Print Disabled Collection (although you are encouraged to check this manually prior to submitting a request).

Requests for Items that Need to Be Digitized

Your College Has a Scannable Copy

If your college has a scannable copy, indicate under acquisition that you will provide the item.

Your College Does Not Have a Scannable Copy

If your college does NOT have a scannable copy, indicate under acquisition that OCLS will acquire one for you. Please note that you will be charged the shipping cost for this item.

Requests for Items Already in ACE

For items that are already in the ACE collection, fill out the request form as usual but under acquisition select “This item is already in ACE”.

Note: if you include the ISBN of the item, the ACE request form will run an automated check for you and alert you if an item is already in the collection.

Requests for Items in the Internet Archive Print Disabled Collection

For items that are already in the ACE collection, fill out the request form as usual but under acquisition select “This item is already in the Internet Archive’s accessible collection”.