# New resource-section as community-run library



## dreamtime (Nov 23, 2021)

As discussed in an internal thread, @Will Scarlet has said he wants the resource-section (where users can upload ebooks and other files) to be activated again.

In the beginning of the year I had removed it, because the number of downloads was miniscule compared to the number of forum users - many of the files had less than 10 total downloads.

I could re-activate it, if we have 2-3 users who take care of the section and regularly upload material. I don't want the resource section to be prominently displayed in the navigation if it's only used by a couple users. For those cases, it's simple to just start a thread in the book section and upload a PDF file with it.

In our German Forum the resource section is well received, with many files having more than 100 downloads. It only works if we have a good collection of files related to the core topic of our forum. While there are many interesting history-related books, our digital library should be more or less representative of the topics discussed - I am thinking about specific stolenhistory topics like:


Cataclysms
Chronology criticism and calendar reforms
Mudflood
Resets
Lost tech
Mysterious fires
World's fairs
Orphan Trains, insane asylums, etc.
Myths and legends
Vatican and other dubious organizations
Wars, epidemics
Star Forts, buildings
Geography and maps
Image collections could be uploaded as ZIP-files.

So if I get 2 or 3 users who want to take that responsibility (users who come to mind are @Will Scarlet , @Silveryou, @Starman, @emperornorton, @Prolix, @Safranek, @Citezenship, @Timeshifter, @Catalyst, @Oracle, but everyone is welcome), we can activate the resource section again.

Please contact me privately or use this thread to express your willingness to contribute. If we get enough members who want to build a community-run library, we can re-start the resource section and feature it in the forum navigation.

*Requirements*


PDF's should have a logo, which is usually the cover-image of a book, so that users can conveniently browse the list of files. The logo can be uploaded separately
A description is mandatory, but if there's no fitting description, you could simply copy the title into the description field
PDFs are always preferred over EPUB or HTML files
Uploads will be moderated, as the library should more or less fit to the topics discussed


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## Shabda Preceptor (Nov 23, 2021)

I enjoy online ebook libraries/collections and such. IMO this sounds like a worthy idea although I'm not sure I have any great number of files to share on the listed topics. I only have an ongoing interest in online libraries and books in general. I would, of course, be willing to contribute any titles I come across that fit within the specific subjects listed and I've maintained an e library myself at another site for several years, so anything that could be gained from my experience in that field I'd be willing to contribute also, should it be found at all useful here for this.

I assume the importance of downloads is due to the space required to hold the files? Often folks might just read them as they sit without downloading, though obviously a d/l is necessary for offline reading, my point being that a lack of downloads doesn't always necessarily indicate non-usage of the files, depending on the situation/site/potential usage etc. At the very least I have an interest in the idea of one here.


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## dreamtime (Nov 23, 2021)

Thanks for your offer.

PDF's always need to be downloaded to be read, even if you read it in the browser it counts as a download.


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## Shabda Preceptor (Nov 23, 2021)

dreamtime said:


> Thanks for your offer.
> 
> PDF's always need to be downloaded to be read, even if you read it in the browser it counts as a download.


Ty for the clarification, I wasn't aware of that. Not that it matters, but the one at that other site I run the same way as far as pdf's, they seem to be the most widely acceptable form available to be used. Also, for anyone else that might find only epubs or other non pdf files available, there are numerous sites that exist to convert the files to pdf for free (so long as the file is smaller than a certain number of MBs) making it easy to accommodate the pdf requirement.


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## Will Scarlet (Nov 24, 2021)

dreamtime said:


> While there are many interesting history-related books, our digital library should be more or less representative of the topics discussed



The old Resources section also contained links to relevant and interesting websites - some of which hosted ebooks regarding a specific topic. Will such links be defunct in the proposed version in favour of a purely PDF library?


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## dreamtime (Nov 24, 2021)

Will Scarlet said:


> The old Resources section also contained links to relevant and interesting websites - some of which hosted ebooks regarding a specific topic. Will such links be defunct in the proposed version in favour of a purely PDF library?



Links would be ok as well, but I guess it would be good to at least link to an archive.org version so that it stays online.


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## dreamtime (Nov 25, 2021)

Short update: Media collections would be possible as well (videos, high-res fotos of paintings, maps, etc.). This would be via a separate addon specific for such media.


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## John Galt (Nov 27, 2021)

I will contribute some pdfs and other files. I don't have a crazy amount but I have some stuff.


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## dreamtime (Nov 27, 2021)

John Galt said:


> I will contribute some pdfs and other files. I don't have a crazy amount but I have some stuff.



Once we launch it, everyone will be able to upload files. What I am specifically looking for is 2-3 users who want to be responsible for managing it actively.


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## Sasyexa (Nov 27, 2021)

Will it accept large files? I noticed some videos I link here tend to get deleted by youtube for some reason.


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## dreamtime (Nov 27, 2021)

Sasyexa said:


> Will it accept large files?



yes.


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## Oracle (Dec 1, 2021)

dreamtime said:


> Once we launch it, everyone will be able to upload files. What I am specifically looking for is 2-3 users who want to be responsible for managing it actively.


I am a little low in faith at the moment  so not the best choice for a curator.
I do however have an enormous amount of resources and links I'd  like to share with everyone at some stage if I can compile them via topic. My current thinking is to upload them somewhere as a folder and put a link at sh  for downloading  if I ever have the time and  returned  desire  to make  that huge effort for the community.


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## dreamtime (Dec 8, 2021)

I just activated the library again. I will try to upload material here and there when I come across something.


Everyone can upload resources (PDF files for books and ZIP files for image collections currently)
All uploads need to get approved by a moderator
Please upload icons if you can
No general history topics - there has to be some self-explainable connection to the purpose of the forum


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## alltheleaves (Dec 9, 2021)

dreamtime said:


> I just activated the library again. I will try to upload material here and there when I come across something.
> 
> 
> Everyone can upload resources (PDF files for books and ZIP files for image collections currently)
> ...


To conserve (or leech other's) resources and bandwidth perhaps a Internet Archive: Digital Library of Free & Borrowable Books, Movies, Music & Wayback Machine group page could be set up?

Or post books and pdfs up to archive or libgen. With d/l links here.

PS. Speaking of bandwith. Use Download Video and Audio from YouTube or other downloaders to convert videos to 360dpi. Reduces file size from yt and elsewhere. Then can up these smaller files here or to archive sites.


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