Q. How can I get a copy of a dissertation not made available by the author, and how do I place an embargo or moratorium on a thesis or dissertation I have written?

Sometimes a graduate student will "embargo" their thesis or dissertation, meaning that it is unavailable to view. The decision to embargo their work is usually made to protect the student's research and intellectual property. Sometimes the length of the embargo is only a few months but it can be permanent. The author's rights under copyright law are well established and the library does not have the ability to obtain a copy of these embargoed works.

If access to the thesis or dissertation is required, the best approach is to research the current location of that person and contact him or her. A Google search is a good place to start. Look for a listing for that person at universities or research agencies, then contact that person. Searching the academic databases is also a useful approach. Search by author name or field of research.

Contacting the department where the student did their graduate work is also a possibility. The student may still be in touch with faculty or staff, thereby providing a means of contacting the person.

The research help desk at the UW Libraries may be able to help with these type of searches. Contact the Help Desk in Coe Library or email at coeref@uwyo.edu.

How to place an embargo on your thesis or disseration

If you are planning on publishing parts of a dissertation or thesis in another medium such as a journal or chapbook, you will need to place an embargo on your work.

The UW Registrar is the office that manages all publishing matters related to graduate dissertations and theses. The library has no role in publishing. We only catalog dissertations and these after approval by the university and publication by ProQuest.

The email for the Registrar is registrar@uwyo.edu. They have a phone number of (307) 766-5272.  This link is to their webpage: http://www.uwyo.edu/registrar/index.html for additional information and forms. 

This link is to the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses website specifically for UW students. You will need to set up an account in order to publish those parts of your research that are not embargoed: https://www.etdadmin.com/main/home?siteId=98 

Click on the Resources & Guidelines tab on that webpage (located near the top on the left side). Then scroll down until you see the "Delayed release and other publishing options" link almost at the bottom of the available documents. Click that to open a PDF about how to embargo. As stated, you will need to work with the Registrar to do this.