Help! Running my own forum...

So, a few buddies from my class and I decided to jump in the deep end and build our very own online community http://cropape.19.forumer.com/ . This whole thing is a total first for us, you know? We’re basically learning everything as we go along, stumbling through the settings and figuring out how things work, and while we've managed to wrap our heads around quite a bit, there are definitely some hurdles where we could use a little guidance.
For instance, we're trying to set up one of those "sticky" threads—you know, the ones that stay pinned right at the top of the board so they don't get lost in the shuffle—but for some reason, we just can't seem to find the magic button to make it happen.
Does anyone out there have a moment to lend a hand or point us in the right direction?

It would be quite beneficial if there were an option available when starting a new thread, perhaps something like: "Set topic status as: -Standard -Important (sticky) -Global..."

Alternatively, if that isn't feasible, there ought to be a dedicated section—accessible to moderators and administrators—for "Forum Management" or "forum moderation," where one could select a specific thread and designate it as "Important" or some such designation.

I cannot say for certain without testing the interface myself.

Best of luck.

P.S. You missed a few things in that PDF, even while you're busy promoting the forum. 🙏

We aren't looking to run any big ad campaigns or anything like that because we want this to stay our own little corner of the internet—just a local community hub where we can all jump in to help each other out and learn the ropes of working with computers together.

When you're starting a new thread, you'll see that option sitting right at the bottom. Just keep in mind it only shows up during the creation process if you're logged in with admin or moderator privileges. Honestly, it would be much more efficient if you guys just switched over to vBulletin. Take a look at this screenshot;

Well, we finally figured out how to set up a pinned thread!
There’s actually one more thing we were wondering about.
If we pin a thread that has images uploaded through Imgur, how long are those pictures actually going to stay visible on the forum?

Also, if you wouldn't mind, could you explain a bit more about why vBulletin
is the better way to go?

If I recall correctly, Imageshack tends to purge any images that haven't been viewed within a three-month window.

vBulletin is a significant step up from vBulletin 3 because the feature set is just much broader. You get tools like reporting posts directly to a moderator, issuing formal warnings before resorting to a ban, uploading attachments, and even customizing user group colors to suit your preference... there are plenty of ways to make it your own. You can see the full list of advantages here. 🙂

Thanks so much for the help! It’s a slow process, I guess, but we’re getting a little bit sharper and more informed every single day, one step at a time.
Best wishes from the whole crew here in San Francisco