Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ: Ordering

  1. How do I place an order?
    You will place your order using our online ordering platform at <printorders.umaine.edu>
  2. Who can order from Printing Services?
    Anyone affiliated with the university system — students, faculty, staff, alumni, departments, organizations and colleges.
  3. What’s an estimate and why should I get one?
    Estimates are used to pre-plan your project. This can include the type of project, paper, or special finishing, and allows us to give clients an idea of pricing before the order is placed. We understand that budgeting for projects can be crucial and that’s why we help you discover your costs up front.
  4. Why is there a range for some print product pricing?
    There are many different variables such as quantity, paper, page size, folding and finishing that can affect the cost of your job. On our pricing page, we’ve given you starting prices for jobs using our quality standard paper stock.
  5. What kind of paper should I use for my project?
    We can help you pick the right stock for your print. Our shop uses Mohawk papers as our house preferred stock for its quality and price. However, we can source a wide variety of papers based on your project’s needs.
  6. Will I see a proof?
    You will be provided a digital or hard copy proof, unless you request not to see one. We highly recommend reviewing a proof to ensure there are no errors before production.
  7. How well will what I see on my screen match what I see printed?
    We are proud to be a certified G7 Master Printer, which lets our customers know that we can match colors across any printing device/machine. For example, all the UMaine branded colors will be consistent, regardless of paper used or which machine prints them. Any proofs released for review will be close to the final product. For digital proofs, bear in mind that computer monitors produce a brighter image because of back lighting. If you want to be certain about how it will look printed, we recommend asking to see a physical proof.
  8. How long will it take to complete my order?
    The turnaround time for your project depends on the complexity of the project and the time of year. For example, a business card typically takes 2 days, whereas a 48 page book could be completed in as few as 5 days after final proof is approved. If you are working within a specific deadline, inform us of that when you place your order.
  9. What file formats do you accept?
    Our shop accepts projects completed in Microsoft Office 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Microsoft Publisher, Adobe (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, PDF), QuarkXPress, and high quality images. Hard copies for copying or scanning are also accepted.
  10. Are there additional items I need to supply?
    You may be asked to submit native files if we need to utilize or edit them.
  11. What are native files?
    Native files include the final document as well as any supporting or linked items (e.g. PDF, images, fonts). Providing these items to us allows us to make changes if needed while maintaining the integrity of your project.
  12. What is the best format to provide you for printing?
    In general, PDF is a great file format to provide. Depending on how your job will be produced we may request a different file format.
  13. How do I order a reprint of a past job?
    We archive jobs done over the past five years and can easily pull the file to reprint, especially if there are no changes. Have changes to make? We can assist you by making updates to your file. If you know the old job number, provide that to us when you place your order.
  14. How do I pay for my jobs?
    Provide us with department chart fields for University jobs. We also accept check or cash for personal jobs.
  15. Do you deliver?
    We deliver for free on campus. For off campus addresses, we can arrange for shipping. Contact us for shipping costs.

FAQ: Required elements on UMaine jobs

  1. Do I have to put the UMaine crest on my UMaine project?
    The official UMaine logo must be present on all print projects. Download information on the UMaine logo here.
  2. I don’t have the logo for my department. Can I just find one from online and save it?
    We have most logos for UMaine departments, colleges and student organziations.you We recommend against pulling from online due to poor file resolution.
  3. What is the Equal Opportunity statement and why do I have to include it?
    The University of Maine System is required to include a non-discrimination notice in a wide variety of its publications to comply with federal regulations. Everyone is required to follow this regulation, irrespective of where publications are printed — whether at your campus print shop, an off-campus printing service, or from your desktop printer. If you have questions, please contact the Office of Equal Opportunity. You can find their contact information by clicking here: https://umaine.edu/eo/accessibility-umaines-commitment-to-people-with-disabilities/contact-eo/.
    Both the full and short statements can be found here: https://umaine.edu/eo/disability-access/nondiscrimination-notices-for-umaine-publications.Long statement:
    Any department that distributes bulletins, announcements, publications, catalogs, application forms, or other recruitment materials that are made available to students, employees, applicants, or program beneficiaries must include the following non-discrimination notice in the publication. The full statement must be used in the majority of publications.

    Short statement:
    A short version of the statement may be used on postcards, posters and signage intended for display.