Frequently Asked Questions

Canto allows you to upload many digital file types, including images, videos, documents like PDFs, PowerPoint presentations, and Adobe files.

Canto is intended to store assets that can be used for communication-related purposes. The Canto Contributor Requirements (PDF) provides a list of asset requirements to assist contributors in identifying assets that are qualified to upload into Canto.

The Canto Library folder structure was created using other higher education institutions as reference, obtaining user feedback, and recommendations by our Canto Launch Consultant. Folders were created in broad categories, without being too specific of their content to allow for a condense structure. Specificity is then created by leveraging the custom fields, keywords, and tags. It is best that assets live in one of the existing folders; albums can be created within the folders as needed. If, however, assets imported by your team do not fit any of the folders and/or albums, your assigned administrator will review and follow procedures to determine the need to create additional folders and/or albums.

Files of any size can be uploaded to Canto.

There are no restrictions on the DPI of an image, however, we recommend you upload your highest resolution, highest quality images to allow for their use in multiple formats.

Naming conventions are not in place for Canto, as they are not as important as the rest of the metadata that can be assigned to an asset. Before uploading to Canto, get familiar with the Contributor Requirements (PDF) document and the Best Practices Guide (PDF).

Your department’s assigned contributor is responsible for uploading assets into Canto. Most users uploading assets are invited to contribute via an Upload Link. During the upload process, you will be responsible for adding the relevant metadata to ensure your assets are easily searchable. An assigned administrator will then review your uploaded assets, add any pending metadata, and move them into the right folder and album within the Canto Library for use by other UIW members.

Licensed Administrators and Contributors can mark the assets’ status as “Restricted” to prevent Consumers from viewing and utilizing assets. The ability to run reports and view statistics on asset usage can also allow the Canto Admin team to analyze assets that are being overutilized.

For contributors using an Upload Link or Workspace, add a comment to the assets that need to be marked with a status of “Restricted” and send an email to cantoadmin@uiwtx.edu to notify the Canto Admin team that some assets will need to have their status updated. The Admin Team will review the assets and update the status accordingly.

For Consumers sharing assets from Canto, please ensure that you share these assets with a limited number of users to minimize its potential overuse.

We require that you add at least 1 keyword on your asset, however, we highly recommend you add as much data as possible to make your assets easily searchable by other users. Make sure to get familiar with the available custom fields and keywords, and add those first before you begin adding Tags. When typing a Tag, make sure to keep an eye on the list of pre-populated Tags, as they have previously been used by another user and can help keep consistency across Canto.

Uploaded assets are intended to be shared across many platforms. Faculty and Staff at UIW have the ability to view, download, and share assets. These assets can be shared across official UIW social media, published in official UIW marketing materials, or shared with other external users like students, parents, and media entities (under approval and coordination of the Canto Admin team). If assets are marked “Restricted”, the assets will only be visible to Licensed Administrators and Contributors. Therefore, any assets your department contributes, must have authorization waivers in place, be appropriate, and be relevant to many users.

No, you must submit any media requests to pr@uiwtx.edu.

Assets posted to Canto may be used to positively illustrate life at UIW – including academics, athletics, community, service, events and more. They may be used on official UIW media such as official UIW social media accounts, promotional materials, websites and other similar platforms. Assets may not be used in any context that casts a negative light on the University or any of its employees, students or community members.

Contributor users of the platform are responsible for ensuring that every asset has been properly released with a signed UIW media release form or was recorded during a public UIW-sponsored event. The official UIW release form can be found here (PDF) and has been uploaded to the _Canto Resources folder in the Canto library.

Images in Canto have been approved for official UIW use but should never be used in any other capacity. While released images do provide the necessary permission for image use, consideration of the subject’s requests should be respected. Should subjects reach out and request that their image not be used, users should honor that request whenever possible.

Contributors must have the rights to any asset uploaded in Canto. This means you must have a photo release signed by the subjects of the image/video, or knowledge that it was produced during a public event during which photography is expected (ie. a UIW athletics competition, a public concert that allows photography or a public-facing UIW event such as Light the Way). You must also have rights to use the image from the asset creator, such as the photographer or videographer. The official UIW release form can be found here (PDF) and has been uploaded to the _Canto Resources folder in the Canto library.

Do not upload the image into Canto.

You do not need a written release from students, faculty or staff at public events ; it is good practice, however, to obtain verbal permission in these instances from those subjects whenever possible.

In all other cases, you should obtain a written image release from the subjects. The official UIW release form can be found here (PDF) and has been uploaded to the _Canto Resources folder in the Canto library.

If you are in doubt about whether a subject would want their image shared on Canto, do not share the image.

With a signed waiver, the subject’s name may be used. When a waiver has not been obtained, as in the case of a public event, it is good practice to obtain verbal permission from the subjects to use their name. In cases where you were not able to obtain permission, do not include names in image metadata, unless the student has done something newsworthy. For example, in a photo of a student accepting an award, you may include the name.

Do not upload the image to Canto.

Terms of Use statement prohibits editing or altering an image in any way that changes the image's editorial content. Should you wish to use a portion of a video or a segment of a photo, contact the uploader for more information.

The following are acceptable:
©[year] University of the Incarnate Word (Example: ©2020 University of the Incarnate Word)
©University of the Incarnate Word
Copyright University of the Incarnate Word

Yes, in the case of freelance photographers or other non-employees hired to create photos, videos or assets, you must obtain written permission to use assets they created, ideally for university-wide use.