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They look like this:
STEP 1:
If this is the first entry for a particular issue number, it is beneficial to check the Source field and make sure someone else has not already entered data pertaining to that specific issue. You check if data already exists for a specific issue by inputting data into the boxes in the source field to see if autocomplete options are given. If you see this:
then someone has already entered data regarding this issue and you just select the appropriate options.
Begin by inputting the "Source" field information. The "Source" field contains two boxes: "Series Title" and "Issue." The Source field is linked to the Grand Comics Database (GCD), so both boxes will show a drop down list when you begin to input information.
NOTE: The “Issue” autocomplete options will have an issue number followed by the Volume, followed by the publication date of that issue number.
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NOTE: you MUST input a Title in the “Series Title” box in order for the “Issue” box to work. In the “Issue” box you are simply putting the issue number of the comic for which you need to input data. Thus the issue numbers are only associated with specific comics. For example if you leave the “Series Title” blank and enter the number “8” in the “Issue” box, the program does not know which comic book series you want the 8th issue of.
If you enter something in the “Series Title” box and no autocomplete options appear
Then you need to click the “Create New Source” button to add a new Comic Book Series to the database.
In addition, if you type in a comic book series in the “Series Title” box and an autocomplete option for the desired series is available, but when you type an issue number in the “Issue” box and no autocomplete options appear
then you also need to click the “Create New Source” button to add a new issue number. The “Create New Source” field then appears:
Fill in the form as shown in the example above. In the “Source type” box put “Issue” if you are inputting data about a fan letter found in an issue of a comic book series. Leave the “GCD Link” box blank for now. In the “Series Title” box put the choose the title of the comic book series as it appears on the cover (or just inside the front cover at the bottom) which means you need to include any definite articles if they are part of the series title. So do not just put “X-Men” if the cover says “The X-Men.” Next put in the issue number which can be found either on the front cover:
Or just inside the front cover at the bottom of the page:
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The publication date can also be found inside the front cover. The publication date should ALWAYS be entered using the Dublin Core metadata standard for dates which is:
YYYY-MM-DD
So a comic published in February of 1967 would be inputted as 1967-02 (please use dashes – NOT backslashes /). Rarely will a comic book publication include a day within the month, but if it does then include the full date. So if a publication date of July 27th 1969 is given, the date entered in the “Publication Date” box in the “Create New Source” form would be 1969-07-27.
Generally the “Page Number” box will be left blank as the fan letter section of most comic books do not have a page number on them. DO NOT try and find a page number somewhere else in the issue and attempt to figure out what page the fan letters are on. Only put a page number in the “Page Number” box if an actual page number appears on the fan letter page(s) in the issue. Otherwise, leave it blank.
Now hit the submit button. The “Success!” box should then appear:
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STEP 2:
Next go to the “Physical Location” field. This field allows us to keep track of where the original item we are using resides. For example, some of the items reside in the personal collection of John Walsh. So if you just type a “j” the following should appear:
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