Help

There are four short tutorial videos available that cover the functionality offered at launch. Visitors can:

Search and browse

  • search and browse tens of thousands of digital editions already included;
  • retrieve and bookmark editions to easily resume where they left off;
  • add new editions, with accompanying resources;
  • create and publish their own digital editions on PRISMS;
Download tutorial transcript

Add resources

  • add their own external resources to editions—which are then embedded in PRISMS—for example, add a facsimile from one source, which can then be viewed alongside a transcription from a different source;
  • view multiple editions side-by-side in a flexible workbench;
  • embed translations, scholarship, performances, such as PDFs, videos, or audio;
  • create notebooks to record a transcription, introduction, or a personal research record;
Download tutorial transcript

Use DH tools

  • use the available component tools, such as adding annotations to texts and images;
  • annotate named entities within and across texts;
  • visualise texts with Voyant Tools;
  • organize and keep a record of their scholarly work with the workbench toolbox;
Download tutorial transcript

View the graph

  • use the graph view to visualise and explore relationships;
  • use a variety of means, including the graph view itself, to add knowledge;
  • participate in and benefit from a community of open scholarship practitioners;
  • download, share, and publish their contributions for the benefit of collaborative scholarship online.
Download tutorial transcript

We encourage you to explore and would be grateful for any feedback, positive or negative, you may have. You can always reach us at help@prisms.digital or digital@hubers.org.uk. Check the About page for our current and future development plans for PRISMS.

FAQ

What does "add an edition" mean?

You can add a record for any edition that isn't already in PRISMS. This is a basic record with minimum information to identify the edition. You can then add components to this edition, such as a facsimile or transcription, is a separate step.

How do I add components to an edition?

On the workbench, there is a list of editions on the left-hand side. Click on the plus sign in the lower-right corner of an edition to bring up the dialog to add a component, and follow the easy three-step process. If the resource you want to add provides an embed-code, simply copy and paste the code snippet into the box provided. Alternatively, you can copy and paste the URL of the resource into the box, but please note that not all resources allow embedding. If a resource is not embeddable, you can always create a notebook and record the link to the resource there instead.

How do I access component tools?

On the workbench, open a component such as a transcription by clicking on the appropriate icon in the edition summary on the left, if it isn't already visible. Each component window has a toolbox icon on the top right. Click on it, to access the available tools for this component type.

How do I use Voyant Tools?

Voyant Tools is a separate tool, created by Stéfan Sinclair & Geoffrey Rockwell, which you can access directly from the component toolbox. For help with Voyant Tools itself, please visit their Help Pages.

How do I use the SPARQL query service?

The easiest way to get started with SPARQL is to run the queries provided in the Examples-folder. They provide insight into the PRISMS data model and the ontologies used. Click through any of the PRISMS URIs displayed in the result view to launch the "Entity Browser", which provides a human-readable tabular view of the RDF triples of that entity. See also Access to Linked Open Data.

How do I use the Graph view?

You can toggle between the graph and component views at the top left of the workbench. If you are new to knowledge graphs, please view our graph tutorial to find out more!

How do I retrieve my annotations and notebooks?

The workbench toolbox icon on the top left will take you to an overview of your interactions with PRISMS. You can retrieve, publish and delete your contributions here.

Where do I login? How can I keep my settings between different computers?

In order to minimize the number of obstacles to participating in PRISMS, authentication is done via the computer you use to access PRISMS. Your can find your PRISMS contributor ID in the settings-tab of the central workbench toolbox. If you want to use more than one device to contribute to PRISMS, you can authenticate new devices by visiting PRISMS authentication and typing in the ID you were issued on the device you have already used to make contributions to PRISMS. You only need to do this once per additional device.

I am using a shared PC. How can I avoid other people accessing and editing my PRISMS data?

Shutting the computer down after use should clear your contributor ID from the browser on computers that have been set up for shared use (e.g. in a library reading room). Please note that closing down the browser will not remove your contributor ID. Only fill in additional information (real name and e-mail address) on devices owned by you.

How can I add a previously unpublished digital edition to PRISMS?

Unpublished digital editions which have been encoded in TEI/XML can be published on PRISMS for a small fee. We offer a training course to assist in this process.

I can't view some facsimile images, even though they are in PRISMS. Why not?

Some of the connections within PRISMS are to subscription-only resources, such as facsimile images from EEBO, EVANS, and ECCO. These can only be displayed if you are authenticated with the subscription resource and it allows embedding of images outside of its own interface. If one of these requirements isn't met, then unfortunately you won't be able to view those materials. If another insitution has digitised the same text and those images are freely available, please add and publish these as an additional facsimile component to aid open access for all!