How to upload content
How to upload content to the site
The library team is grateful to our community for allowing us to share their content on Pakiaka. It is your taonga that brings our website to life. By reading these guidelines, you are taking the first step in enriching our heritage collections. Please note, we only accept content relating to Rotorua and surrounding areas. We also advise you read our Community Contribution Guidelines, before uploading content.
Begin the upload process by clicking on the “upload” icon in the left-hand panel. This will take you to our “Contribute” page where you can select the type of content you would like to upload.
If you want to write about a specific subject – for example, information about a local place, tupuna, or an organisation you used to work for – click on the button titled “Story”.
If you are uploading digital “stuff”, decide which of the options best describes what you are uploading. Here are some examples to help you:
- For audio recordings – like a great-grandparent speaking about their visit to Rotorua – choose “Audio upload”.
- For handwritten or typed forms of communication – like a letter, report, or notes on a meeting – choose “Document upload”.
- For ephemeral items that are often thrown away – like brochures, tickets or posters – choose “Ephemera upload”.
- For photographs and artwork, choose “Image upload”.
- For cartographic material – like maps and aerials of Rotorua – choose “Map upload”.
- For published material – like books or magazines relating to Rotorua – choose “Publication upload”.
- Finally, for film recordings of Rotorua, choose “Video”
To look more closely at the upload process, we will focus on the example of a photograph. Start by clicking on the “Image” button. This will take you to a simple form. First, type the title of the photograph in the “Title” box. Choose something that succinctly describes the image you are uploading.
Next, click on the “Choose Files” button, to do just that – choose the files you want to upload from your computer. You will need to navigate to the place you saved the image. Once you have selected the content and the upload is complete, a thumbnail will appear below the “Choose Files” button.
Next, confirm the image is either out of copyright, or that you are the copyright holder. At this point, you may be wondering “how do I know if something is out of copyright?” Do not worry, there is lots of guidance out there to help you work this out.
In New Zealand, copyright applies automatically from when a work is created, and, in most circumstances, lasts for the creator’s lifetime plus 50 years. That means you will need to do a little maths to work out if something is, or is not, in copyright.
If you created the item yourself, in your own time (i.e. you were not employed by a third party to create the work), and you have not signed the copyright over to someone else, you are the copyright holder.
Because copyright lasts for the creator’s lifetime plus 50 years, you can also become a copyright holder through inheritance. For example, the will of a deceased person may determine who inherits their copyright.
Once you have checked the copyright box, will need to apply a Creative Commons license to the item. This will tell visitors to our site how they can use the item you are uploading. There are two options to choose from:
- Freely used by anyone.
- Used by anyone for non-commercial purposes.
Now you have completed the “legal stuff”, you can tell us a few more details about the item you are uploading. Simply click on the “Tell us more details” button. This will open a longer form. These fields are optional, but additional information makes it easier for those searching the site to find your content and understand its significance. For example, adding a date will inform people when the photograph was taken, a short description will help them understand the context, and the name of the creator will tell them who took it.
When you are happy with the details you have added, scroll down and press the “Submit and finish” button. If you need more time to work on the description, you can click the “Save progress” button, and come back later.
Once you have submitted your item, a box will pop-up to confirm it has been uploaded and is awaiting approval. This means someone from the library’s Heritage and Research Team will review the content and either approve it, or get in touch to ask a few questions.
And that is it! If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch via the Contact Us form.
