How to add information

This section will explain the process and steps to filling out the form used to add information to the database. It is highly recommended you read through this section.

Once one of the four form selections is selected as mentioned in section home Page subsection How to Add Items to Defrint Tables, you will be sent to the following page.

It is recommended that ALL information is filled out and that there are no unknown values. However, there may be some exceptions to this. Also, if any boxes or options are grayed out that means they are not required and can be ignored.

Accessioning

Every Item MUST have an accession number. The accession number is used to differentiate items from one another. The accession number is added in the text box in section A as seen in the image. There is a specific way to write an accession number. It is as so, the year the item was given to us followed by the box or group number that it was given to us for that year and the number for that Item within that box or group. Each set of numbers is separated by a . symbol. To better understand this, I will give an example.

Let’s say someone gave me three items.

As of today, it is 2023 so my first number is (2023). Until now I have not received any items so my second number will be one making my accession number    (2023.1). We know there are three Items so that means my three accession numbers will be (2023.1.1, 2023.1.2, and 2023.1.3).

Now let’s say a new person came in and gave me two items.

The accession numbers for these two items are (2023.2.1 and 2023.2.2) as it is still 2023 and I now received my second group of items this year, and there were only two items in the group.

Now to add to this system there is also the chance that two separate items may be in a set or connected in some way, an example being a note and its envelope. If this were the case, we could add a letter to the end of the accession number. Here is another example.

Let’s say the third person to give me a group of items gave me a note and an envelope and a key. We know the first two numbers are (2023.3). However, because the note and envelope go together they will be numbered like so     (2023.3.1A and 2023.3.1B) and the key will be numbered (2023.3.2).

If the numbers exceed past Z you can write Aa and so on making sure that the second letter is lowercase.

Adding an Item

Here is the in-depth look at section B as seen in image one.

1. The Name of the Item
2. Select the type based on the list. If the item does not fit into a category, you can select N/A
3. The date that the item was accessioned. The date must be written as so (Year-month-day)
4. The condition of the item. Based on the item’s condition select an option from very good to very poor.
5. Write a description of the item and any other details here.

Adding a Contributor

The Contributor is the person or organization who gave the item the society.

Here is an in-depth look at section C as it is seen in image one.

1. The first and last name of the contributor
2. The name of the Organization
3. Select if the item was given as a donation or a loan. Please try not to select unknown or N/A as this is very important information. N/A and unknown should only be used for items that are missing this information already.

Remember that the first and last name must be filled out or the organization name must be filled out. Having both filled out is also acceptable.

Adding a Location

Every item has a specific location assigned to it when accessioned. It MUST always stay in this location. However, some exceptions are mentioned later in this section.

Our building has a unique numbering system that is to be used when an Item is stored.

In the following example, # will be used as a replacement for any number.

All rooms are marked as R#, there are two rooms with no number. They are RV (this is the vault located upstairs) and RH (This is the hallway also located upstairs).

All Bookshelves are marked B#.

All Cabinets are marked C#.

All Storage units are marked U#.

There is also a safe located in the vault that is called Safe.

For every Bookshelf, Cabinet, and storage unit each shelf and or drawer (better referred to as rows) are marked from one going up until the final row.

Items may also be stored in a box that is to be named and stored in the specified locations.

For more information, you can look around downstairs as every room has a map.

Here is the in-depth look at section D as seen in image one.

1. There are three select options. Room, Shelf, and Row. This is to be filled out using our numbering system, in order of R#, B# C#, or U#, and finally the Row number.
2. This is a text box that must contain the name of the box with which the item is stored. if the Item is not in a box this can be left blank.
3. If the item is moved to a display room upstairs this is to be marked as yes.
4. If an item is missing this is to be marked as yes.
5. If an item is digitized, meaning it is photographed and stored electronically this is to be marked as yes.

Adding an Image

Here is the in-depth look at section E as seen in image one.

1. When you use the search bar a list of all images in the database will also be displayed. Typing in the search bar will help narrow down the list of items to display images related to the text. You can select the images displayed and the selected image will be displayed for the item.
2. By pressing the choose file button you can select an image from your computer. If an image is selected, it will display that image for the item.
3. By pressing the blue Add Description text a pop-up will appear on your screen as seen in the following image.

Here you can add the description for the image using the text box in the middle. To return to the form you can press the return button located at the bottom right of the popup.

Please note that an image is not necessary for adding an item.

Submitting my new information

As seen in section F of the first image, there are two buttons, Cancel and Submit.

To add your information, you press the submit button. Once pressed you will see the following popup.

In this popup, you are notified that you are adding new information to that database. In the bottom right there are two buttons, Return and Save Data.

If you wish to not save your information press return.

If you wish to save your new information press submit. Once submit is pressed the form will look for any errors and add the new information to the database.

For more information about possible form errors and what they mean go to section Errors and how to fix them.

If you press the Cancel button you will be shown a different popup.

This popup informs you that all data added to the form will be lost if you cancel.

In the bottom right of the popup there are two buttons, Stay and Cancel Data.

If you wish to not cancel your form press the Stay button. If you press the Cancel Data button your new form data will be removed and you will be taken to the home page.