Role-based user manual

Everyone: finding and listening to samples

1. Open the sample library. Each result shows the sample title and description, audio controls, attribution and license status, and available technical details.
2. Search titles, descriptions, creator names, or sample IDs. Filters narrow results by date, license, audio metadata, or descriptors. Selecting multiple descriptors requires every selected descriptor to match.
3. Select Search samples to apply filters or Clear filters to start over. Use the previous and next controls to move between result pages.
4. Use the built-in player to listen. Select Download original to download the original file.
5. Expand Find samples similar to… to choose sound or technical characteristics for comparison. Acoustic comparison uses signal features; it does not identify a sound's meaning or a speaker.

Metadata is measured from the uploaded original when available. Some file formats do not provide all measurements, so a value may be shown as Unknown.

Guest (not signed in)

Guests can browse, search, listen to, and download samples without an account. Guests can see shared descriptors for every sample. They cannot save ratings or upload audio.

To contribute descriptors or upload a recording, sign in with an account provided by the project.

User (signed in)

The User role has nearly the same collection access as a guest. At present, Users cannot save or revise descriptor ratings; ratings are reserved for Authors.

1. Sign in with the username and password provided by the administrator.
2. Browse, search, listen to, and download samples just as a guest can.
3. Shared descriptors are initially hidden for samples you did not upload. Select Reveal tags for… to show descriptors for that sample.
4. Select Sign out when you are finished.

Users cannot rate samples, upload audio, create accounts, administer the site, or delete samples. Ask the administrator if you need Author access.

Author

Authors can browse like signed-in Users, submit or revise descriptor ratings, and upload samples. Authors cannot manage accounts, export the database, or delete samples.

Rate a sample

1. Find the sample and select the checkboxes under Your sound descriptors for….
2. Select Save descriptors. You can return later and submit an updated set.
3. For samples you did not upload or rate, use Reveal tags for… to see the current shared descriptors.

Upload a sample

1. Enter a clear title and choose an audio file no larger than 100 MB.
2. Write a sound description. Include a transcript if the recording contains speech. The text is displayed with the sample and helps people who cannot access the audio.
3. Enter the creator or attribution name. It is displayed publicly; a pseudonym may be used.
4. Select the license that should apply to this sample and follow its link to review the terms. The catalog includes Creative Commons options and CC0; CC0 is a public-domain dedication tool, not a Creative Commons license.
5. Select the initial descriptors that you think apply.
6. Confirm that you have the rights and permissions needed to publish the recording and attribution, and agree to make it available under the selected license.
7. Select Upload sample and wait for the upload to finish.

Only upload material you are authorized to publish. Do not upload confidential or sensitive recordings. Valid license permissions may continue to apply to copies already downloaded even if the service later removes its own copy. You can update your descriptors for your sample later.

Administrator

Administrators can use the library and have additional controls on the Administration page. They cannot upload or rate samples. Their sample-management action is deletion; they can also create contributor accounts, add license options, and export collection data.

Create an account

1. Open Administration from the signed-in library page.
2. Enter the person's first and last name, email address, username, and a unique password of at least 12 characters.
3. Choose Author for someone who may upload and rate, or User for someone who may browse and reveal descriptors but cannot rate or upload.
4. Select Create account and provide the login details through an appropriate secure channel. The email address is not verified automatically; confirm it through your usual project process.

Accounts cannot be created by guests or through public self-registration. Do not share accounts or passwords.

Add a license option

Use Add a license option to enter a name and official HTTPS license URL. New options become available to Authors immediately. Add only options that project leadership and the institution have reviewed; the application checks the URL format, not whether the license is suitable or legally approved.

Export collection data

• Database dump: a sensitive PostgreSQL archive containing password hashes and sessions, but not uploaded audio or deployment secrets. Protect it, encrypt it, and do not treat it as a complete production backup.
• Effective descriptors: one row per sample using strict-majority results; the original Author-uploader's choice resolves a tie.
• Original uploader's descriptors: one row per sample with the descriptors initially submitted by its Author-uploader.
• Per-descriptor counts: rows for each sample and descriptor, with selected/non-selected counts and how the effective value was resolved. Individual raters are not identified.

CSV files contain sample information and technical audio metadata. Although they omit account identifiers and raw contributor identities, they may contain public or user-provided text and should be handled as project data. For production recovery, use the operator's coordinated database-and-audio backup process.

Review or remove a sample

The Administration page lists samples with playback, download, creator/license, and technical details. Select Remove sample: … to permanently remove a sample and its related ratings from the service. Confirm only when certain: the action cannot be undone through the interface and may not affect copies already obtained by others under a valid license.

Getting help

For access, account, upload, or content concerns, contact the project team using the contact information on the site's legal pages. For a rights or legal complaint, use the sample's Report content link and provide the sample ID and reason for the report.