> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.mylists.cc/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Browsing & Managing Catalogs

# Browsing & Managing Public Catalogs

Public Catalogs represent shared libraries of media across MTVL instances. Every category module (movies, TV shows, books, etc.) exposes a public catalog that serves as the canonical record for items.

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## Exploring Catalog Items

On any category page (e.g. `/movies`, `/tvshows`, `/books`), select the **Catalog** tab:

### 1. Filtering & Live Search

* **Search Bar**: Type any keyword (title, director, author, genre) to instantly filter results.
* **Sorting**: Sort catalog items by:
  * `Title` (Alphabetical A-Z / Z-A)
  * `Release Year` / `Publication Year` (Newest / Oldest)
  * `Rating` / `Community Score`
  * `Created Date`

### 2. Pagination

Catalogs automatically paginate large collections (defaults to 12 or 24 items per page). Navigate through pages using the pagination bar at the bottom.

***

## Adding New Items to the Catalog

If an item does not exist in the public catalog, authenticated users can contribute it:

1. Click the **+ Add New Item** button in the category header.
2. Complete the category-specific metadata fields:
   * **Movies**: Title, Director, Release Year, Duration (in minutes), Poster URL, Synopsis / Description.
   * **TV Shows**: Title, Creator/Director, Total Seasons, Total Episodes, Poster URL, Synopsis.
   * **Books**: Title, Author, Total Pages, Publication Year, Cover URL, Synopsis.
3. Click **Create Item**.
4. The item is saved to the public database and immediately becomes available for all users to search and add to their personal lists.

:::tip Automatic Personal List Addition
When creating a new catalog item, the creation dialog includes a checkbox: *"Also add to my personal list"*. Checking this lets you set your watch/read progress in the same step.
:::