Requirements for images for thumbnails

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This is a help page for contributors or users.


Thumbnail images provide a visual way for Clicklaw visitors to see what kinds of resources they are linking to. For example, a thumbnail image of the front cover of a booklet or a web page written in plain language offers a clue that this resource is designed for a member of the public.

The following list suggests what kind of image to use for various resource types on Clicklaw:

Resource Type
Organization profile Your organization’s logo
Audio/podcast The web page where the audio/podcast can be found
Multimedia The greeting or main page of the multimedia offering
PDF The cover page or the first page of the PDF
Print The front cover or cover page
Video A still from the video, typically from the opening shot
Web The web page or a portion of the web page
In-person program or workshop The logo for the program or the organization’s logo
Service on the HelpMap The logo for the service or the organization’s logo

Requirements for images on Clicklaw

  1. The image must be saved in PNG or JPEG format.
  2. The file size of the image must not exceed the maximum file size of 1 MB.
  3. The dimensions of the image must be no smaller than 300 pixels on the larger dimension, to prevent low quality thumbnails.

As between .PNG and .JPEG formats, .PNG is the better choice for images that you upload to Clicklaw. When you upload your image, it is automatically resized and saved, and a .JPEG file will lose more information in that process than a .PNG file. Saving in .PNG format is the best choice for images that contain text or line art, such as most logos.

Tips for adding images to Clicklaw

  • You only need one image for a resource, even a resource that is available in multiple languages or formats. Where a resource is available in multiple languages, we suggest taking an image of the English language version.
  • As long as you follow the image requirements, you don’t have to worry about making your image a certain size – in uploading an image, it is automatically resized to the right dimensions for the Clicklaw thumbnails.
  • Because of the large file size limit, you are able to upload fairly large or high quality images to Clicklaw - resulting in higher quality thumbnail images.