How to Contribute

First...

Unlike many public wikis, the Lost Plays Database is not open to public editing: for quality control, potential contributors must apply to the editors for contributing privileges.

Before continuing with the application process, please take a moment to consider the following principles:

The Lost Plays Database (LPD) operates on the understanding that titles and references to plays in documentary sources are evidence of discrete lost texts unless compelling corroborating evidence confirms identification with an extant text. The critical history of lost plays has been the opposite: scholars have identified unusual titles with surviving texts, as in the familiar identification of “Love’s Labour’s Won” with either The Taming of the Shrew or All’s Well That Ends Well. In the LPD we take documentary evidence literally until there is solid proof otherwise.

The LPD entries are organized according to a pre-designed template. Variations on sub-categories are permissible, even often desirable, but we ask that the template headings themselves be employed without alteration.

The integrity of the categories in the template is crucial. “Historical Records” and “Theatrical Provenance” are for documentary evidence, not scholars’ opinions however venerable the scholar and the opinion. The contributor’s judgment comes increasingly into play as the categories move from a transcribing of documents to the tracking of critical opinion to guesswork; the final category of “For What It’s Worth” is the catch-all for tangential commentary.

Requesting an account

To express an interest in contributing to the LPD, please email the editors at mcinnisd@unimelb.edu.au with the following:

Your name, in the form you use for publishing, including initials if desired (this will also be your username if your application is approved);
A brief bio. This information will assist the editors in deciding whether or not an applicant is suitable, and will also become the bio publicly available under your username (if your application is approved);
The statement: "I accept the Lost Plays Database Terms of Service" (see below for the full Terms of Service);
Your academic status and affiliation (if you are a graduate student, provide the name of your dissertation director);
A list of your publications (if any) relevant to lost plays;
A short comment explaining your interest in the Lost Plays Database -- please comment specifically on its relevance to your scholarship;
If you have in mind entries you would like to provide, please mention them and explain why.

The editors will confer with each other and respond to your email regarding the status of your application.

Any questions should be directed to the editors at: mcinnisd@unimelb.edu.au

Creating and editing content

Approved account holders can create and edit content on the LPD. For information and advice about wiki-editing, please consult the Folgerpedia guide to basic MediaWiki markup.

Terms of Service

By registering to be a contributor of any material on this site, you agree to the following terms and conditions:

1. You acknowledge that:

a. All content is published subject to the discretion of the Folger Shakespeare Library.

b. Content may also be removed at any time subject to the Folger Shakespeare Library's discretion.

c. The Folger Shakespeare Library is not required to notify you prior to removing your content.

d. No fees or royalties are payable for the use of this content.

e. The Folger Shakespeare Library may archive content uploaded by you.

f. The Folger Shakespeare Library will seek permission from you to use your content for any other purpose not disclosed in these terms & conditions.

2. By submitting your content to the Lost Plays Database, you give permission for your content to be made available on it and for the Folger Shakespeare Library to use, copy, publish, make available, distribute, transmit, perform, display, edit or modify the content you submit anywhere in the world.

3. By submitting your content to the Lost Plays Database, you give permission for users to use, copy, publish, make available, distribute, transmit, perform, display, edit or modify the content you submit anywhere in the world for personal, non-commercial purposes or for use as part of a research or academic publication or for educational purposes so long as the material is acknowledged as being sourced from the Lost Plays Database. By submitting material to the Lost Plays Database you accept that your right to be acknowledged as the creator of the content may be limited to the 'History' page of the entry you contribute to. Especially where an entry is revised by multiple authors, acknowledgments of an entry may only cite the Lost Plays Database as the original source of the material.

4. You are not entitled to any royalties, fees or other compensation in return for any utilization of your contributions as allowed under this agreement.

5. You warrant that any material contributed by you on the Lost Plays Database does not breach the intellectual property rights of others and as such you warrant that:

a. You have all the rights necessary to make this material available on Lost Plays Database and that there is no third party copyright included in the material you are submitting.

b. If the content you have submitted was created by another person or there is third party copyright in the material you have obtained express written permission from the creator of copyright owner. You may be required to provide copies on request.

6. If submitting photographs or images of other people you agree to obtain written permission from them before you submit their image to the Lost Plays Database. You may be required to provide copies of these permissions on request.

7. You agree not to post any illegal or inappropriate content such as:

a. Pornographic material

b. Defamatory or discriminatory material

c. Material that contains racial vilification, cruelty or violence

d. Material that is abusive or harassing in nature

e. Material of a commercial nature, for example seeking to endorse commercial products or activities or to solicit business

f. Material that invades or interferes with the privacy of any person

g. Personal information, such as telephone numbers, addresses, photographic images or individuals without their express written consent.

8. You understand and accept that the academic biographical details that you supply will be made available on the web site.

9. You may be held legally responsible for the content you submit to the Lost Plays Database.

If you have any comments or question about these terms & conditions please contact us at dmg@folger.edu.