Heritage Discovery Platform¶
User Guide¶
A comprehensive heritage discovery platform that provides an engaging public landing page, community contributions, custodian management, access mediation, and analytics.
Overview¶
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| HERITAGE DISCOVERY PLATFORM |
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| PUBLIC DISCOVERY CONTRIBUTIONS ADMINISTRATION |
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| v v v |
| Landing Page Community Custodian |
| Search/Browse Participation Management |
| Collections Trust System Analytics |
| Timeline Review Queue Access Control |
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Key Features¶
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| PLATFORM CAPABILITIES |
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| Landing Page - Rijksstudio-inspired visual discovery |
| Search - Intelligent search with autocomplete |
| Contributions - Community transcription and identification |
| Access Control - Embargo and access request management |
| Custodian Tools - Batch operations and audit trail |
| Analytics - Search insights and usage tracking |
| POPIA Compliance - Privacy flag management |
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Public Discovery Interface¶
Landing Page¶
The heritage landing page provides a visually engaging entry point to your collections.
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| LANDING PAGE SECTIONS |
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| | HERO SECTION | |
| | Full-viewport background with Ken Burns effect | |
| | Tagline, search box, suggested searches | |
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| | EXPLORE BY | |
| | Time | Place | People | Theme | Format | Trending | |
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| | CURATED COLLECTIONS | |
| | Auto-rotating carousel of featured collections | |
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| | BROWSE BY CREATOR | |
| | Top creators with item counts | |
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| | TIMELINE | |
| | Interactive historical period navigation | |
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| | RECENTLY ADDED | |
| | Masonry grid of recent items with images | |
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| | HELP US IMPROVE | |
| | Contribution call-to-action with leaderboard | |
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How to Access¶
Navigate to: /heritage or visit the homepage when not logged in (auto-redirect).
Search Features¶
The heritage search provides intelligent discovery:
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| SEARCH CAPABILITIES |
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| Autocomplete - Suggestions as you type |
| Query Expansion - Synonyms and related terms |
| Multi-language - Language detection |
| Filters - Format, time, place, subject, creator |
| Results Ranking - Relevance + quality + engagement scoring |
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Explore Categories¶
Browse by Time (Timeline)¶
Navigate collections through historical periods:
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| TIMELINE PERIODS |
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| Pre-Colonial -----> Dutch Colonial -----> British -----> Union |
| Pre-1652 1652-1795 1795-1910 1910-1948 |
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| -----> Apartheid -----> Democratic Era |
| 1948-1994 1994-Present |
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Browse by Place¶
Explore collections by geographic location with map integration.
Browse by People¶
Discover records connected to specific individuals and organizations:
- Navigate to Heritage > Creators
- Browse alphabetically or by item count
- Click a creator to see related records
Browse by Theme¶
Filter collections by subject matter and topics.
Browse by Format¶
Filter by content type (photographs, documents, maps, etc.).
Trending¶
View popular items based on recent user engagement.
Community Contributions¶
Overview¶
The heritage platform enables community participation through moderated contributions.
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| CONTRIBUTION TYPES |
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| Transcription - Convert handwritten documents to text |
| Points: 25 per contribution |
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| Identification - Identify people, places, objects |
| Points: 15 per contribution |
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| Historical - Add context and background information |
| Context Points: 20 per contribution |
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| Correction - Suggest corrections to metadata |
| Points: 10 per contribution |
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| Translation - Translate content to other languages |
| Points: 30 per contribution |
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| Tags/Keywords - Add searchable keywords |
| Points: 5 per contribution |
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Contributor Registration¶
- Navigate to Heritage > Login or click "Sign In" on the landing page
- Click Create Account
- Fill in:
- Email address
- Display name
- Password
- Verify your email via the confirmation link
- Start contributing!
Making a Contribution¶
- Find an item you want to contribute to
- Click the Contribute button
- Select contribution type (transcription, identification, etc.)
- Fill in the contribution form
- Click Submit Contribution
- Wait for review and approval
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| CONTRIBUTION WORKFLOW |
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| Contributor Custodian/Admin System |
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| | Submit | | |
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| | | Review | |
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| | | Approve/Reject | |
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| | | | Award Points |
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| | | | Update Record |
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Trust Levels¶
Contributors earn trust through consistent quality contributions:
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| TRUST LEVELS |
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| Level 0: New - Just registered, limited permissions |
| Level 1: Contributor - Active contributor |
| Level 2: Trusted - Consistent quality, verified |
| Level 3: Expert - High approval rate, special access |
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Badges and Achievements¶
Earn badges for contribution milestones:
| Badge | Requirement |
|---|---|
| First Steps | First contribution |
| Active Contributor | 10 approved contributions |
| Dedicated Contributor | 50 approved contributions |
| Heritage Champion | 100 approved contributions |
| Transcription Expert | 25 transcriptions |
| Sharp Eye | 25 identifications |
| Local Historian | 25 context additions |
| High Quality | 95% approval rate on 20+ contributions |
Leaderboard¶
View top contributors on the landing page and at Heritage > Leaderboard.
Access Requests¶
Why Request Access?¶
Some items may have restricted access due to: - Privacy concerns (POPIA/GDPR) - Copyright restrictions - Cultural sensitivity - Embargo periods - Security classification
Submitting an Access Request¶
- Navigate to the restricted item
- Click Request Access
- Select your purpose:
- Personal/Family Research
- Academic Research
- Educational Use
- Commercial Use (requires approval)
- Media/Journalism (requires approval)
- Legal/Compliance (requires approval)
- Government/Official (requires approval)
- Preservation/Conservation
- Provide institution affiliation (if applicable)
- Describe your research project
- Justify why you need access
- Agree to terms and conditions
- Submit request
Request Status¶
Track your requests at Heritage > My Access Requests:
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| REQUEST STATUS |
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| Pending - Awaiting review |
| Approved - Access granted (check valid dates) |
| Denied - Access not granted (see notes) |
| Expired - Access period ended |
| Withdrawn - Request cancelled by user |
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Viewing Your Activity¶
My Contributions¶
Navigate to Heritage > My Contributions to view: - Pending contributions - Approved contributions - Rejected contributions (with feedback) - Points earned - Badges awarded
My Access Requests¶
Navigate to Heritage > My Access Requests to view: - Request status - Approval/denial notes - Access validity period
Administration¶
Admin Dashboard¶
Access at Heritage > Admin (requires admin privileges)
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| ADMIN DASHBOARD |
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| Quick Stats: |
| - Total Users |
| - Active Users |
| - New This Month |
| - Active Alerts |
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| Quick Actions: |
| - Review Access Requests |
| - Create Batch Operation |
| - View System Alerts |
| - Preview Landing Page |
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Landing Page Configuration¶
Configure at Heritage > Admin > Landing Config:
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Hero Tagline | Main headline on landing page |
| Hero Subtext | Supporting text below tagline |
| Search Placeholder | Placeholder text in search box |
| Suggested Searches | Quick search suggestions |
| Primary Color | Theme color for the platform |
| Show Sections | Toggle visibility of landing page sections |
Hero Slides¶
Manage background images at Heritage > Admin > Hero Slides:
- Upload hero images
- Set captions and credits
- Configure Ken Burns effect
- Set rotation timing
- Enable/disable slides
Featured Collections¶
Curate collections at Heritage > Admin > Featured Collections:
- Select IIIF or archival collections
- Override titles and descriptions
- Set display order
- Enable/disable collections
Feature Toggles¶
Enable/disable features at Heritage > Admin > Features:
| Feature | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Community Contributions | Enabled | Allow public contributions |
| User Registration | Enabled | Allow new registrations |
| Social Sharing | Enabled | Enable share buttons |
| Downloads | Enabled | Allow file downloads |
| Citations | Enabled | Show citation options |
| Analytics | Enabled | Track usage data |
| Access Requests | Enabled | Allow access requests |
| Embargoes | Enabled | Enable embargo system |
| Batch Operations | Enabled | Enable bulk updates |
| Audit Trail | Enabled | Track all changes |
Branding¶
Customize appearance at Heritage > Admin > Branding:
- Logo upload
- Favicon
- Primary/secondary colors
- Banner text
- Footer text
- Custom CSS
- Social links
- Contact information
Access Control Management¶
Access Requests Review¶
Manage at Heritage > Admin > Access Requests:
- View pending requests
- Review justification and purpose
- Approve or deny with notes
- Set access validity period
Embargo Management¶
Manage at Heritage > Admin > Embargoes:
| Embargo Type | Effect |
|---|---|
| Full | Record completely hidden |
| Digital Only | Metadata visible, files hidden |
| Metadata Hidden | Files visible, details hidden |
Configure: - Start and end dates - Auto-release option - Notification preferences - Legal basis
POPIA Flags¶
Manage privacy concerns at Heritage > Admin > POPIA Flags:
Flag types: - Personal Information - Sensitive Data - Children's Data - Health Information - Biometric Data - Criminal Records - Financial Information - Political Affiliation - Religious Beliefs - Sexual Orientation
Custodian Tools¶
Custodian Dashboard¶
Access at Heritage > Custodian:
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| CUSTODIAN DASHBOARD |
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| Quick Actions: |
| - Batch Operations |
| - Audit Trail |
| - Access Requests |
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| Activity Summary (30 Days): |
| - Actions by category |
| - Top contributors |
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| Recent Activity: |
| - Latest changes with timestamps |
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Batch Operations¶
Perform bulk updates at Heritage > Custodian > Batch:
- Select items by search or list
- Choose operation type
- Preview changes
- Execute with progress tracking
- Review results
Audit Trail¶
View change history at Heritage > Custodian > History:
- Filter by user, date, action type
- View field-level changes
- Export audit logs
Contribution Review¶
Review community contributions at Heritage > Review:
- View pending contributions
- Compare with original record
- Approve with optional edits
- Reject with feedback
- Award points automatically
Analytics¶
Analytics Dashboard¶
Access at Heritage > Analytics:
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| ANALYTICS OVERVIEW |
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| Overview Stats: |
| - Page Views |
| - Searches |
| - Downloads |
| - Unique Visitors |
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| Search Performance: |
| - Average Results |
| - Zero Result Rate |
| - Click-through Rate |
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| Access Control: |
| - Pending Requests |
| - Approval Rate |
| - POPIA Flags |
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| Trends Chart: |
| - Search and click trends over time |
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Search Insights¶
Access at Heritage > Analytics > Search:
- Top search queries
- Zero-result searches (content gaps)
- Failed searches
- Search term relationships
- Autocomplete effectiveness
Content Analytics¶
Access at Heritage > Analytics > Content:
- Most viewed items
- Download statistics
- Engagement metrics
- Quality scores
Alerts¶
View system alerts at Heritage > Analytics > Alerts:
Alert categories: - Content issues - Search problems - Access concerns - Quality warnings - System notifications - Opportunities
URL Routes Reference¶
| Route | Purpose |
|---|---|
/heritage |
Public landing page |
/heritage/search |
Search interface |
/heritage/explore |
Browse categories |
/heritage/timeline |
Timeline navigation |
/heritage/creators |
Browse by creator |
/heritage/collections |
Featured collections |
/heritage/trending |
Trending items |
/heritage/login |
Contributor login |
/heritage/register |
Contributor registration |
/heritage/contribute/:slug |
Contribution form |
/heritage/my/contributions |
My contributions |
/heritage/my/access-requests |
My access requests |
/heritage/leaderboard |
Contributor leaderboard |
/heritage/access/request/:slug |
Request access form |
/heritage/admin |
Admin dashboard |
/heritage/custodian |
Custodian dashboard |
/heritage/analytics |
Analytics dashboard |
/heritage/review |
Contribution review queue |
Tips for Users¶
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| DO | DON'T |
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| Explore different browse modes | Ignore suggested searches |
| Contribute what you know | Submit low-quality content |
| Provide detailed justification | Request access without reason |
| Check your contribution status | Expect instant approval |
| Earn trust through quality | Try to game the points system |
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Tips for Administrators¶
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| DO | DON'T |
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| Review requests promptly | Let requests pile up |
| Configure landing page branding | Use default settings |
| Monitor zero-result searches | Ignore analytics insights |
| Curate featured collections | Leave collections static |
| Address POPIA flags quickly | Ignore privacy concerns |
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Need Help?¶
Contact your system administrator if you experience issues.
Part of the AtoM AHG Framework