Appearance
Contributors & Authors
Manage the authors, illustrators, editors, and other people who contribute to your books.
Viewing Contributors
Navigate to Contributors in the sidebar to see everyone in your database.
Search and Filter
- Search - Find contributors by name
- Role Filter - Show only Authors, Illustrators, Editors, etc.
- Sort By - Order by name, role, email, or date
- Page Size - Display 25, 100, 250, or all contributors
Adding a New Contributor
- Click the + button in the top right corner
- Fill in the contributor details (see fields below)
- Click Save
Contributor Fields
Basic Information:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Full name of the contributor (required) |
| Role | Their primary role - Author, Editor, etc. (required) |
| Person Name | Name in normal order (e.g., "John Smith") |
| Person Name (Inverted) | Name in inverted order (e.g., "Smith, John") |
| Alternative Name | Pen name, pseudonym, or alias |
Biography & Contact:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Biography | Biographical information about the contributor |
| Contact email address | |
| Website | Personal or professional website URL |
Professional Identifiers:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| ISNI | International Standard Name Identifier (16 digits) |
| ORCID | Open Researcher and Contributor ID |
| Professional Affiliation | University, organisation, or company |
Location & Dates:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Country | Country of residence |
| Region/Province | Region within the country |
| Birth Date | Date of birth |
| Death Date | Date of death (if applicable) |
Profile Image:
Upload a profile photo for the contributor, or select one from the OnixFeed image library.
Editing a Contributor
- Find the contributor in the list
- Click the Edit button (pencil icon)
- Update the details
- Click Save
Deleting a Contributor
- Find the contributor in the list
- Click the Delete button (trash icon)
- Confirm the deletion
Note: If a contributor is assigned to books, you may want to transfer their books first.
Transferring Books Between Contributors
If you have duplicate contributors or need to reassign books:
- Find the contributor whose books you want to transfer
- Click the Transfer button (exchange icon)
- Select the contributor to receive the books
- Confirm the transfer
All book assignments will be moved to the new contributor.
Contributor Roles
OnixFeed uses ONIX-standard contributor roles. Common roles include:
| Role | Used For |
|---|---|
| Author | Primary writer of the book |
| Co-author | Joint author |
| Editor | Edited the work |
| Translator | Translated from another language |
| Illustrator | Created illustrations |
| Photographer | Provided photographs |
| Foreword by | Wrote the foreword |
| Introduction by | Wrote the introduction |
| Afterword by | Wrote the afterword |
| Cover design by | Designed the cover |
Assigning Contributors to Books
Contributors are linked to books through the book's Contributors tab:
- Open a book for editing
- Go to the Contributors tab
- Choose one of these options:
- Add existing contributor - Search for someone in your database
- Create new contributor - Add someone new
For Each Book Assignment
When adding a contributor to a book, you can set:
- Role - What they did for this specific book
- Sequence Number - Display order (1 = primary, 2 = secondary, etc.)
- Biography Override - A book-specific bio that replaces their default biography
Managing Book Assignments
- Edit - Change the role, sequence, or biography for this book
- Remove - Remove the contributor from this book (doesn't delete them from the database)
Import and Export
Importing Contributors
- Click Import CSV on the Contributors page
- Upload a CSV file with contributor data
- Map the columns to the correct fields
- Complete the import
Exporting Contributors
- Click Export CSV on the Contributors page
- A CSV file will download with all your contributors
Tips for Managing Contributors
- Use consistent naming - Decide on a format (e.g., "First Last" vs "Last, First") and stick with it
- Add identifiers - ISNI and ORCID help with accurate identification
- Include biographies - Good bios enhance your catalog
- Upload photos - Profile images make contributors more recognisable
- Check for duplicates - Use the transfer feature to merge duplicate entries
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