## Add New Resource

A new resource can be added to the portal by logging in with a privileged account and going to the Add New Resource page. This will bring up a blank template in accordance to how the metadata is configured in the Metadata Field Editor and cataloging for the resource can be entered here. Required fields have a yellow box around them and must be completed in order for the new resource to be saved. Once a resource is saved, it is entered into the database and it will be searchable via the advanced or quick search functions.

What follows are more detailed explanations about adding a new resource:

1. Log in using your login name and password, if not already logged in, and then go to the Add New Resource page. The portal software will supply a cataloging form or template. Alternately, resource editors may wish to duplicate an existing resource record with similar metadata to speed cataloging. To do this, locate the record to be duplicated, click the ``Edit`` button, then click the ``Duplicate`` button on the page that loads. This will create a duplicate record that can then be modified and saved accordingly.

2. Complete the form by filling in all metadata fields that are appropriate for your organization's needs. The required fields for the Metadata Tool to establish a record are the Url, Title, Date Issued, Description, Date of Record Creation, and Date Record Checked fields.

   For some field types, default values may be defined in Metadata Field Editor and on the Edit Option Lists page. In these cases, when a new record is created, the default value is automatically supplied by the portal software. Default values may be overwritten by resource editors at any time.

   If the Date of Record Creation and Date Record Checked fields are left blank, the software automatically enters the current date.

   Limited HTML tags are permitted to increase visual appeal for Text and Paragraph fields: bold `<b>`, italics `<i>`, underline `<u>`, strike `<s>`, anchor `<a>`, superscript `<sup>`, and subscript `<sub>` paragraph `<p>`, quote `<q>`, and preformatted text `<pre>`. Break `<br>` tags are permitted in Paragraph fields. Note: All HTML tags will be stripped from metadata harvested via RSS and OAI.

3. To assign names to the Creator, Contributor, or Publisher fields, simply begin typing. If the name is not found, click on the ``Search`` button to the right of field. You will be prompted to search for an existing name in the database.

   If that name matches any existing ones, a results list will be generated and returned. Check all the appropriate boxes, and click the ``Assign`` button. This will add all names checked to the resource record. Note: It is important to remember that the names are populated by the user, so after supplied sample records are removed, there will be no names included. To add the first value, go to the Add New Controlled Name page.

4. Assigning a classification to a resource record is very similar to adding a new name. New classifications can be added or existing ones can be edited on the Add/Edit Classifications page of the Metadata Tool.

5. Select terms for the Resource Type, Language, Audience, and Format fields. You may select as many as appropriate. Default terms may be selected for these (or any) Option fields via the Edit Option Lists page. Selecting a default will cause that term to be selected in the template when adding new resource records, where it can be modified if needed.

6. Images in .jpg, .gif, and .bmp file types (depending on what is supported by the PHP version installed on your web server) may be added to the record as illustrations or for other purposes. File selection begins using the ``Choose File`` button found to the right of the field. After selecting the image, the file name will automatically be added to the resource record. To complete the process, click on the ``Upload Image`` button. A small image (thumbnail) will appear within the resource record. Only one image may be added to each particular Screenshot field. Additional fields are required to accommodate additional images.

   After an image has been added to a record, it can be removed by clicking the ``Delete Image`` button next to the image thumbnail in the edit interface.

   Portal developers are strongly encouraged to complete the Alternate Text field whenever adding an image to a resource record. This field provides explanatory text for images and graphics. According to established guidelines of accessibility for World Wide Web resources, images or graphics should always provide appropriate explanatory text to ensure that the image's meaning is understood by persons using screen reader software (generally those who are blind or have low vision). Completing this field is an easy method to incorporate this practice into portal development workflow without modification to HTML code.

   Additionally, the Description field provides text that can be searched (when enabled by portal administrators) by the Keyword, Advanced Search, and Metadata Tool search engines.

7. The Release Flag field is used administratively to signify whether a record is complete and ready for public viewing. If appropriate, depending on institutional workflow and other editorial factors, you can set the Release Flag field to OK for Viewing or Not OK for Viewing.

8. Click the ``Add Record`` button. This adds the completed new resource to the database, linking it with other resources. The software modifies the Added By field automatically with the user name of the appropriate resource administrator.

### See Also

- Customizing Metadata Fields
- Edit Resources
- Metadata Field Definitions