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Add items

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CONTENTdm provides two basic ways to add items to your collections:

  1. The Project Client: The Project Client is a Windows-based, digital collection builder where data and digital items can be prepared in large batches.
    • All users with a user account in CONTENTdm Administration can use the Project Client to add items. CONTENTdm Administration and Project Client uses the same user account permissions.
  2. CONTENTdm Administration Add Item interface: Use CONTENTdm Administration if you are not able to use a computer with the Project Client installed and want to add a limited amount of items. Additionally, because the Add Item interface is intentionally limited and simplified compared to the features of the Project Client, it can reduce the depth of training needed for faculty and staff.

New items are added to the pending queue where it must be reviewed, approved and indexed through CONTENTdm Administration before it is added to the collection and visible to the end user.

The following information details how to use the CONTENTdm Administration Add Item interface.

Using Add Items

With the CONTENTdm Administration Add Items, you can upload digital item, add metadata, use controlled vocabulary, set item-level permissions (if you have permissions to select access rights), and choose between having CONTENTdm generate a thumbnail (for PDF, JPEG, GIF, PNG, and TIFF files) or create a custom thumbnail.

 Note: The Web Admin Add item has a limit of 64MB. If it exceeds this size, use the Project Client.

To add an Item or a URL with Add Items

  1. Open CONTENTdm Administration and select the item tab.
  2. Click add.
  3. Select whether you wish to Add an item or Add URL. Then, either enter the URL or use the browse buttons to navigate to the item that you wish to add.
  4. Add the metadata related to the item or URL. Required fields are indicated by a red asterisk.
  5. If you are adding metadata to an item with a controlled vocabulary, you will see a link to controlled vocabulary adjacent to the field. Click Controlled Vocabulary (or Shared Controlled Vocabulary, if shared with other fields or collections) to see a list of terms within the controlled vocabulary in a separate window. Enter a term from within that list of controlled vocabulary terms. 
    • Tip: Use CTRL+C and CTRL+V to copy terms from the controlled vocabulary window and paste them to the field with the controlled vocabulary. If you are adding terms that are not in the controlled vocabulary, a CONTENTdm Administrator must approve the terms before the item can be approved. For more information, see Using a Controlled Vocabulary.
  6. If you have rights to add permissions to the item, you will see an Edit link next to the Permissions field. Edit permissions, if desired.
  7. Select whether you want CONTENTdm to generate a thumbnail or whether you wish to use an existing custom thumbnail. If you are using custom thumbnails use the browse button to navigate to and select the custom thumbnail.
  8. Click Add. The item is added to the pending approval queue.