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Foreword
Blackbird begins with a Foreword, an introduction to an issue’s content and the home page for that issue. Return to the Foreword from anywhere in the journal by clicking the Blackbird logo in the upper left-hand corner.

Top Menu
All pages in Blackbird have a six-button menu across the top. Three lead to the issue’s Poetry, Fiction, and Nonfiction, while one leads to Gallery, a section that showcases the visual and media arts as well as plays. The Features button links to new content added over the life of an issue, frequently readings or interviews. The Browse button on the far right opens an index of the editors’ suggested reading order.

Left Menu
The left menu on this page, and other pages headed on the left by “New to Blackbird,” links to the business and machinery of the journal: policies, practices, contact information, archive access, search, and the like, as well as an online store at Café Press under Goods.

All content pages in Blackbird have a left menu offering an alphabetic index of all contributors within a given genre.

Reading Loops
A Reading Loop is an alternative menu that links related content across genres and sections of the journal. Every fall, Blackbird publishes Levis Remembered, a Reading Loop of content in memory of Larry Levis. Every spring, the Introductions Reading Loop connects featured contributors across genres. Any piece of work included in a Reading Loop will have a link at the bottom of its page to allow easy return to the Reading Loop menu.

Right Menu (foreword page only)
The right menu appears only on the Foreword page and links to Features, Reading Loops, and alternative menus that group related content such as Reviews or Interviews. In addition, Contributor News, In Memoriam, and special annoucements appear in this space.

Contributor's Notes & Bottom Menus
At the bottom of most content pages, readers will find a link to the contributor’s bio page by selecting “Contributor’s notes.” The bio page also menus all work by the contributor in the issue and links to Reading Loops of which he or she is a part.

Also at the bottom of content pages are, within a given genre, links to other offerings in that genre by the contributor. A poet with four poems in the journal, for instance, will have links to the other three poems in the journal immediately beneath “Contributor's notes.”

Features
New content goes up over the life of an issue under our Features button. New features are also announced on the Foreword page in the right menu. Features may also be added to Reading Loops as appropriate.

Broken Links?
If you find broken links, please report them to blackbird@vcu.edu. We will be grateful to have your freedback. Be sure to provide the URL of the page on which you found a broken or incorrect link. Thanks in advance and welcome to Blackbird.

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