Reference Library help

Search and filters

• Full text and metadata searches published record titles, descriptions, contributors, catalogue metadata and imported plain text. A matching text result identifies the document or page and shows an excerpt.
• Keywords searches controlled tags. The popular-keyword cloud is another route into that mode.
• Material type describes the form of the source, such as a catalogue, price list, photograph, drawing, factory record or research work.
• Categories provide broader research themes. Countries, regions and glassmakers use controlled records managed by authorised administrators.
• Keywords are shown as #keyword, but each one points to a controlled internal keyword so spelling variants can be merged consistently.
• Select Clear filters if a combination returns no results.

Catalogues

• Reference Library > Catalogues is the catalogue landing page. It lists established catalogue sources and keeps the familiar page-by-page browser, scans, entries and navigation intact.
• Catalogue source search can match a source, publisher, year, maker, page title or notes, and recorded pattern information. The existing detailed pattern search and identification tools remain available to authorised users.
• A published library record linked to a catalogue source or page can be found using that catalogue metadata and shows a route back to the established catalogue browser.

Reading a record

• A record may include an abstract, detailed description, public notes, source/provenance notes, dates, maker and location.
• The rights panel separates copyright status, copyright owner, required attribution, licence and any licence-specific notes. A recorded licence is information about that record; it is not legal advice.
• Access may be public, registered-user, named-role, named-permission, reviewer-only, or granted through a current manual/licence-funded/restricted-collection entitlement. SYSTEM_ADMIN remains the universal administrative override.
• A policy can expose one of five levels: hidden, a restricted placeholder, a short excerpt with thumbnail, a longer protected preview, or the full record and eligible files. Protected preview images are watermarked when configured.
• A placeholder or excerpt explains that more material exists without revealing protected text, originals, contributor identity or private administration notes. Signing in may reveal the registered-user level; a current grant may reveal the authorised level.
• Full record access does not automatically make every original downloadable. Downloads also follow the record/file policy and explicit original-download permission.
• Records that are drafts, under review or archived are not shown publicly. Authorised editors can manage them in the administration area.
• A record may contain multiple checksum-verified originals and separately stored previews, thumbnails, searchable PDFs, OCR text or transcripts. Each file is served through the record's access policy; a direct storage path is never the permission check.
• Catalogue citations may refer to more than one catalogue, page or recorded pattern without copying those catalogue records.

Submitting reference material

1. Sign in and choose Submit material. You can submit even when you cannot view the eventual restricted Library section.
2. Describe provenance, rights, licence, attribution and requested access; attach one or more permitted files; then confirm the recorded licence assertion.
3. The submission stays private while a reviewer checks it. My submissions shows its status and any clarification request.
4. A reviewer may correct metadata, request clarification, approve or reject. Publication preserves the submission and creates or updates a Library record.

Preserving a collection item in the Library

• An owner removing an item can archive it, submit a copy for review, or transfer it to the Reference Library review queue.
• A transfer removes the item from the active collection only after the rights assertion and explicit transfer confirmation. It preserves originals, catalogue linkage and private acquisition/valuation/disposal evidence for reviewers and recovery.
• The future public Library record uses anonymous contributor and provenance wording. Publication still requires independent Library review.

Searchable text and OCR

Text may come from an embedded text layer, manual transcription or offline OCR. Raw and corrected versions are retained separately, with provider/engine/language and review metadata where supplied. Automated or paid OCR is not active in this release.

What remains deferred

Automated OCR, paid Library access and subscription-provider integration are not active. Current access tiers and manual entitlements do not take payments or activate subscriptions.