Understanding the Media Library

The Media Library is where all of the document files, url embeds and images are held that have been uploaded onto the site. 

This is the current list of media items that are available to upload into the media library:

  • ArcGIS Visualization: Embed an ArcGIS map or app on a page easily, just providing the URL.
  • Data & Insights: Embed a Data & Insights widget.
  • Document: A downloadable document, like a Microsoft Word file or PDF.
  • Google Calendar: A Google Calendar from a embed URL.
  • Image: An image to be used in your site.
  • Power BI Visualization: Embed a Power BI visualization on a page using the visualization URL or embed code.
  • Remote Video: An embedded remote video from a site like YouTube or Vimeo.
  • Tableau Visualization: Embed a Tableau visualization on a page easily, just providing the visualization URL.

The media library is also where you can easily edit your media by searching for the media item name that was created when it was uploaded onto the site.  

decorative

Media Usage Best Practices

If there is a media item that is no longer needed best practices is to make sure you move it to the trash and it will no longer appear in your media library BUT the media file will still appear within the file tab. 

Do:

  • Use the Media Library edit button in the Operations row to update any documents or images media that has been added to the media library.
example of the media tab where you use to upload and update files
  • Make sure that when see the file name in the File field or the image field of the media that you uploaded or are updating before you click save. 
example of image file properly added to media item
  • Use the Delete link next to the Save button to properly and safely remove media and have it moved to the trash. 
an example to use the delete link to move items to the trash

Don't:

  • Click the remove button next to the file name within a media item and click save. This will not move that media to the trash but it only removes the file from the media container. This will then lead to broken links and a broken site.  Always click the Delete link to move media to the trash.
example of file properly added to a media item

How to Safely Delete Files from your site

You can delete files from your site using the File tab but please keep in mind that you do not delete files that are being used in other links on your site or else it will lead to you breaking the page and error message that says "This site is currently unavailable" will appear. 

example of error message for incorrectly deleting a file
  • Navigate to the File tab and within the operational links row select the delete button to permanently remove files that you do not want on the site. 

Special Note: A good rule of thumb is to always check the "Used in" row first to make sure it says 0. This way you know the file is safe to delete.

example of the delete button located in the operation links

It is preferred that the Media Library is the only place to manage all media content on the site. This is only used in special cases for legacy sites who media content that was accidentally added or google is somehow crawling.

Please Use the Media Library ONLY for Media Management

Author Role

Direct Link to a direct image or document

Add item using Media Library 

Link to any Media Library Item (Linkit link)

Unpublish THEIR OWN Media Library Item

Unpublish ANY Media Library Item

Delete THEIR OWN Media Library item (goes to Trash)

Delete ANY Media Library Item (goes to Trash)

CAUTION

Delete THEIR OWN file entirely off the hosting

CAUTION

Delete ANY file entirely off the hosting

Anonymous

LEGACY

❌NO

✅YES

❌NO

❌NO

❌NO

❌NO

❌NO

❌NO

Writer

NOT DESIRED

✅YES

✅YES

✅YES

❌NO

❌NO

❌NO

✅YES

❌NO

Editor

NOT DESIRED

✅YES

✅YES

✅YES

✅YES

❌NO

❌NO

✅YES

❌NO

Publisher

NOT DESIRED

✅YES

✅YES

✅YES

✅YES

✅YES

✅YES

✅YES

❌NO

Agency Manager

NOT DESIRED

✅YES

✅YES

✅YES

✅YES

✅YES

✅YES

✅YES

✅YES

How to Properly Update Media & Documents Files

When updating an image or media document best practice is to go within the media library and select the edit button or edit pencil directly because deleting the media directly from the library and then uploading a new media will result in you having to go back to each page that was using that media/document and update it.

example of how to properly update media

The better method is to instead within the edit field of the image or document you can remove the file from that spot and then add your new file. This method will then have the platform update the media for you across all of the website pages so there are no broken images or broken document links.

Example of how to properly update media in the media library

Items up to 100MB may be uploaded to the site "Media Library" and used throughout any page that can embed or reference media.

Special Note on Media Library Image Sizes

If you are planning to place images in the hero they will need to be a minimum of 1440 x 604 but ideally to scale for retina we like to double the size 2880px (wide). 

Our rule of thumb is the image should always be equal or bigger to the size it will be displayed.

We are trying to keep all images on the site to a 4:3 ratio, but the hero is a bit more custom. We have allowed for uploads of source image at up to 100MB with the focal point to be determined at the Media Library level. If you are planning to use them elsewhere i.e. promos, they should work fine in terms of size. So try to keep everything to a minimum of 1440px for width. 

Images used as the feature on basic pages, promos, and visual link collections follow the 4:3 ratio, meaning that for every 4 pixels of width there should be 3 pixels of height. To calculate the image ratio: Take the height of your image and multiply it by 4/3 to compute the width; or. Take the width of your image and multiply it by 3/4 to compute the height. source: https://www.omnicalculator.com/other/4-3-aspect-ratio

If you need to adjust your image size and do not have Adobe Photoshop you can use one of these free online tools:

https://www.photopea.com/

https://picresize.com/

1

Log in to your site

Everyone who writes things on this website has a special title. These titles give them certain abilities, like who can edit, review and publish what. You can ask for a different title or take one away from someone using the user manager.

2

How to find the Media Library

You can easily find the media library by hovering over Content in the top left corner, then over Media, and select Media library.

decorative
3

How to add Media to a Basic Page

To add the media image that you uploaded into your media library, into a basic page, you'll use the "insert media" within your WYSIWIG toolbar.

insert media button within a basic page

Once you select that you can then scroll down to search and view the media items that you currently have within your image library.  

examples of searching for media library items from a basic page

You can also add new media items to your media library and page all at once.

Example of adding a media item to the media library from a basic page

Once you click on the "Insert selected" your image will embed onto your page

4

How to Find Media from a URL

If you have the media file URL but you don't have the name of the media item to find it within the media library then a simple trick is to go to the media url and then select "/download?inline"

decorative

and then replace it with  "/edit" then press enter so that it will now take you to the page where that media item edit page which is where you can find the media item name which is what you can now use to easily locate it within the library.

5

How to Edit a media file

Once you click on the "Media Library" you can locate specific media you would like to edit by searching the media item name and then selecting the edit button on the right of the screen:

decorative

OR if your results are in the grid format you can select the little pencil icon which is also where you can edit your media items

decorative