Getting the most out of Footnote

Find Documents

There are many ways to find images on Footnote, but the two most common are Searching and Browsing.

Search

You can search for images on Footnote using the search box at the top of most pages.

The basic search on Footnote returns results that include all your search terms, so if you don't get any results, try broadening your search by removing some of the terms. Matching terms may come from information we have indexed for the image or from annotations added by other Members.

You'll find information about narrowing your search in our search tips.

Search Results Page

The Search Results page displays matches with the index information, a preview of the image and a list of annotations and other additions to the image.

Where the image has been indexed using Optical Character Recognition (OCR), the Search Results page highlights hits on the page and shows a zoomed image of those words. Placing the cursor over another highlighted hit in the preview image will display a detailed image of that word.

From the Search Results page you can refine your search using the blue search box at the top of the page.

Search Within a Title or Part of a Title

You can narrow your search results by searching within a specific title or part of a title. There are a few places you can use "Search within":

1. On the Search Results page you will find a blue search box that includes a pull-down menu for selecting the title you would like to search within.
2. On the Browse screen, browse to the title (or subsection of a title) you're interested in and then use the brown "Search within" box at the bottom of the page to search.
3. On the Original Documents page, when you place the cursor over a title you will see a search button that will allow you to search just that title or you can click on the title and search from the Title Information Page.

Narrowing Your Search with Browse

Browsing is a great way to focus your finding efforts. You can browse by clicking on the "Browse All Titles" link at the top of most pages or to the right of the search box on the Search Results page or you can go to the Original Documents page and select a title to search or browse within.

From the Browse all Titles link you can browse through the titles alphabetically or choose a category to browse within.

At any point in the browse process you can use the brown "Search within" box at the bottom of the page and search just the images in the group you have selected.

As with search, when you find an image by browsing, you will be able to see all the indexed data, the number of annotations or comments and a preview of the image.

Viewing Images on Footnote

Here are some of the Viewer's key features:

Print & Download

When you find something on Footnote that you would like to have a copy of you can print the image directly from the viewer or you can download the image and save a digital copy.

Uploading Images to Footnote ^Improved!

Footnote supports uploading of .jpg .gif .tif and .png images that are less than 10 megabytes in size.

You'll notice that once you click "Upload Images," a progress bar and an estimated time to upload will be shown for each file while it's being transferred.

If everything works, you'll see a confirmation message and a link to view them in Your Gallery.

If you are having problems with the Uploader, try the Basic Uploader.

Once the images are in Your Gallery you can edit their names, add descriptions and connect them to other images. The more detail you provide, the easier it will be for people to find what you've added.

You can also use Footnote's tools to Annotate, comment on, Spotlight or create Story Pages using your images.

Annotating Images

Organize Your Gallery ^New!

Your Gallery is a great way to gather and organize images you upload to or find on Footnote. Click the "Upload Images" button to add your own images or, when you find an image on Footnote, click the "Save" button in the tool bar at the top of the viewer, then click "Your Gallery."

Once the images are in Your Gallery you can add add or update their titles and descriptions. Adding meaningful titles and descriptions will make it easier for you and others to find these images later.

Collections

You can organize your images or group them around a theme using Collections. You can add an unlimited number of Collections with as many combinations of images as you need. Images in your Gallery may be added to more than one Collection.

Your Gallery always contains all your images even if they have been added to a Collection.

Creating a Collection is as Easy as Drag and Drop

You can create a Collection just by dropping an image onto the dashed box found in the upper-left corner of Your Gallery.

If you have a lot of images, you can check the "Select" button, which appears in a bubble when you place your cursor on the image.

You can add more images to an existing Collection by dragging images to that Collection in the list in the left column.

Rearranging Images in Your Gallery

You can rearrange the images in Your Gallery by clicking the "Arrange" button and then dragging and dropping images into the place you want them. When you are done arranging your images, click "I'm Done" to go back to viewing and using the images in Your Gallery.

Connecting Images ^New!

Connections are special links you and other Members can make between images. They can be used to explain the unique relationship between any two images you find or upload to Footnote.

Connections are great for:

• Linking pages from the same document
• Linking records or images together of the same person, place, thing or event
• Telling a visual story of an event, location or person

Making a Connection in Your Gallery

To connect two images in Your Gallery:

1. Click and drag one of the images on top of the other image.
2. Choose the type of Connection you are making.
3. Provide any additional details about the connection in the "Add details" box.
4. Click "Save Connection"

Making a Connection in the Viewer

To connect an image your are looking at in the Viewer to an image in Your Gallery:

1. Click the "Connect" button in the Viewer's toolbar.
2. Choose the type of Connection you are making
3. Provide any additional details about the connection in the "Add details" box.
4. Click "Save Connection"

Making Strong Connections

Here are a few tips for making good connections:

• Try to choose one of the existing connection types, then add details to explain the connection.
• If you have to use "Other," use a simple, clear description of the connection and then add details.
• Use the "Flip These Images" link to get the connection going the right way.
• Share Connections between images that others might find interesting.

Viewing Your Connections

You can find a list of connections you have made by clicking the "Your Connections" link found at the bottom of the left column or by clicking the "See all" link on the list of Connections in your Profile page. You'll find connections made by other Footnote members listed on their Profile pages.

The best way to learn more about Connections is to just try making some yourself. You can always edit or delete them later.

Once you've added the images to Your Gallery (by uploading them from your computer or clicking the "Add to Gallery" button in the image viewer) simply do the following:

1. Click and drag one of the images on top of the other image. This will open the Connection dialogue window.
2. Choose the type of Connection you are making and provide a more detailed explanation. Any details are helpful.

Spotlights

Spotlights let you quickly to show off an interesting image—or a portion of an image—for discussion.

To create a Spotlight from the Viewer, click on the "Spotlight This" button and add a title and, optionally, a brief description about what makes that particular image interesting.

Titles and descriptions can be edited at anytime.

Clicking on the arrow (to the right of the "Spotlight This" button) gives you an option to select a portion of the image or see other Spotlights that have been created with that image.

Your Spotlights are open to Member comments.

Share your Spotlight ^New

There are a few ways to share Spotlights you create or find on Footnote. Clicking the "Link and Embed" link opens a panel with three options.

If you want to send someone a link to the spotlight just copy the link in the box labeled, "Link to this Spotlight" and paste that link into an email. Hint: To copy the link, click on the link to highlight it, then right click and choose "Copy" or press the CTRL and C keys on your keyboard (Command/Apple and C for Mac users). To paste, click in the email where you would like to add the link then right click and choose "Paste" or press the CTRL and V keys on your keyboard (Command/Apple and V for Mac users).

If you have a web page of your own and you would like to add the Spotlight or just the image from the Spotlight to it, copy the appropriate link from one of the other two boxes and add that to your web page. You can even select one of three sizes for the image you add to your page using the radio buttons above the links.

Story Pages

Add Your Comments

Profile Pages

Each Member of Footnote has a Profile Page that includes information about the member and displays the contributions they've made to Footnote.

Your Profile

You can update your profile to:

• Include a photo that represents you.
• Specify your general location.
• Share your interests in the About Me section.
• Choose whether or not to allow other members to contact you.

In addition, Your Profile Page shows the contributions you have made to Footnote, including:

• Annotations, connections and comments you have made
• Spotlights and Story Pages you have created
• Images you have uploaded

Your Contribution Score shows the total number of these contributions you've made.

Other Members' Profiles

Profile Pages of other members can be a great way to find interesting information. When you find interesting things on Footnote added by other Members, you will see their images and Member names next to their contributions. Clicking on the Member name will take you to the Profile Page where you'll find other things found or added by that Member.

When you find other Members with interests similar to yours, you can see what else they have been doing and, if they allow it, even contact them.

Manage Your Account

Watches & Notifications

You can Watch interesting things you find on Footnote and we'll notify you when they are updated.

For example, if you find an image that includes people or things you are researching, you can watch that image. When someone adds an annotation, a comment or a connection, we'll send you an email to let you know.

You can even use watches to find out when we add new content to a particular title, or when we add new images matching searches you have tried.

Adding a Watch

You'll find a Watch button in the viewer and on pages you can watch. Look for them on:

• Images
• Spotlights
• Story Pages
• Titles
• Search results pages
• Member Profiles

Just click the button to add a watch for that item. Once you've added a watch for something, the Watch button becomes an "Unwatch" button. Clicking this will remove the watch.

Managing your Watch List

In Your Account you'll find a link to "Manage your Watch List." There you can see what you are watching, remove watches for any of the items in the list or update your notification preferences. You can choose whether you would like to be notified of changes immediately, daily, weekly or never. You can also choose whether or not you would like your watch list to be visible to other members. We haven't added this feature to the profile yet, but you can set your preference now.