Thumbnails for Audio and Video in Collection Loader

A thumbnail is an image representation of the audio or video file that appears in the media player before being played. It also appears in search results and when browsing a collection on JSTOR.

By default, when you upload a new video file in Collection Loader, a thumbnail image is automatically generated using a frame 30% through the video's runtime. Audio files don't have thumbnails automatically generated for them, and a generic placeholder thumbnail will be displayed when published to JSTOR.

Uploading or replacing thumbnail images

You can upload or replace a thumbnail for an audio or video file by editing the item in Collection Loader. Supported thumbnail file formats are JPEG and PNG and recommended dimensions are 300px x 150px.

To upload or replace a thumbnail for an audio or video item:

1. Log into the Collection Loader and choose the Collections link.
2. On the Collections page, choose your collection and then the item you wish to publish.
3. On the item page, open the Edit thumbnail menu after the media preview and select Replace thumbnail.
4. Click the Choose image button, and select a thumbnail image file.
   • Supported file types are JPEG (.jpg, .jpeg) and PNG (.png)
   • Recommended thumbnail size is 300px wide x 150px high
5. Click the Upload button.
6. Click the Save button before the media preview to save your changes.
7. Republish the item to see the changes reflected on JSTOR.

You can reset an item's thumbnail to the default (a placeholder image for audio items or a frame 30% into a video for video items) by choosing Reset thumbnail from the Edit thumbnail menu.