Preserving UKs National Memory

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Preserving UKs National Memory

• Helen Hockx-YuWeb Archiving Programme
  ManagerBritish Library
• 05 June 2008

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The need to archive the web

• To save e-publishing
• Reduce the risk of loss of ephemeral in-scope
  material cited average life expectancy of
  websites is 44 days
• Research requires reliable references to
  e-publishing
• Contributes to the memory of the nation
• Issues
• Illegal (pornography, terrorist etc.) or rubbish
  sites
• Needle in haystack how to filter out useful
  material
• How to foresee future research interests
• How to keep pace with rapidly changing web
  technology

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BL policy for collecting websites

• To gather, make accessible and preserve material
  representing intellectual and cultural heritage
  and social history made publicly and freely
  available in the UK via the medium of the web.

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What web sites does the BL select?

• Research
• stated intentions of sites themselves or
  potential to be primary resources for research
• sites hosted by universities, government bodies,
  grey material published by campaigning
  organisations and charities
• research on the web
• Social history culture
• Sites representing British cultural diversity,
  regional difference, social significance, key
  event of national life, topicality
• Innovation
• Award winning sites (pre-selected), sites
  illustrating webs information, communication and
  training strength

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Websites selection methods

• Collaborative archive with partners of the UK
  Web Archiving Consortium (UKWAC)
  http//www.webarchive.org.uk
• Subject specialists team
• Suggestions (e.g. nomination form on the UK Web
  Archive self selected via UKWAC webform)
• Collaborations with external organisations (e.g.
  working with Library and Information Services
  Council (Northern Ireland) to build a Northern
  Ireland collection)

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British Librarys social Inclusion and diversity
Programme

• Developing our collection to reflect a
  multi-cultural Britain
• More inclusive programmes and services to
  attract take-up from a broader demographic
  profile and to support Black and Ethnic Minority
  groups, women and those with disabilities
• Training schemes to promote diversity awareness
  and work experience schemes to include more
  people from minority groups
• Develop a more diverse workforce
• Support the needs of a culturally diverse
  audience
• Marketing the Library to reach new and more
  diverse audiences

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(No Transcript)
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Websites representing cultural diversity
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The big picture

• There are approximately 11 million websites
  hosted in the UK
• The UK Web Archive currently contains 5185
  unique websites and 16304 instances 60 is
  collected by the British Library
• 195 websites listed under Society Culture lt
  Communities
• Does this fully represent the British community
  cultural heritage?

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But we have selected a lot more websites
http//doughty.gdbtv.com/ http//www.acttogether.o
rg/ http//www.avma.org.uk/ http//www.add.org.uk/
http//www.adfam.org.uk/ http//www.alcoholconcer
n.org.uk/ http//www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/
http//www.als.org.uk/ http//www.amber-web.org/ h
ttp//www.amostrust.org/ http//www.article19.org/
http//www.aspire.org.uk/ http//www.afasic.org.u
k/ http//www.babymilkaction.org/ http//www.barbe
d.org.uk/ http//www.baspcan.org.uk/ http//www.be
lfastpride.com/ http//www.jabw.demon.co.uk/firman
1.htm http//www.bilderberg.org/ http//www.bnrrn.
org.uk/ http//blackpoolpride.com/drupal/ http//w
ww.bliss.org.uk/ http//www.bme.org.uk/ http//www
.bodnotbod.org.uk/ http//www.bradenhamhall.co.uk/
http//www.brightonpride.org/ http//www.baff.org
.uk/ http//www.base.org.uk/ http//www.bda.uk.com
/ http//www.britisheco.com http//www.blrg.org.uk
/ http//www.brittlebone.org/ http//www.brook.org
.uk/ http//www.budgieman.co.uk/ http//www.camden
abudis.net/ http//www.cbpta.com/ http//www.cnwp.
org.uk/
http//www.universal-inheritance.org/http//www.s
eparatedfamilies.org.uk/http//www.witchcraft.org
/ http//www.circlemakers.org/ http//www.communit
ytransport.com/ http//www.tcf.org.uk/ http//www.
conservativewomen.org.uk/ http//www.cornishwitchc
raft.co.uk/ http//www.cropcircleconnector.com/ ht
tp//www.referendum.org.uk/ http//www.theworkcont
inues.org/ http//www.ecocentric.co.uk/ http//eco
topia.co.uk/ http//www.stabbers.org/ http//www.e
thiscore.org/ http//www.eutruth.org.uk/ http//ww
w.for.org.uk/ http//www.getethical.com/ http//ww
w.gilad.co.uk/ http//www.hhugs.org.uk/ http//www
.homehealthfitness.com/ http//www.thehra.org/ htt
p//www.howardleague.org/ http//www.iwca.info/ ht
tp//www.international-brigades.org.uk/ http//www
.iraqoccupationfocus.org.uk/ http//www.irishdemoc
rat.co.uk/ http//www.j-n-v.org/ http//www.labour
cnd.org.uk/

http//doughty.gdbtv.com/ http//www.acttogether.o
rg/ http//www.avma.org.uk/ http//www.add.org.uk/
http//www.adfam.org.uk/ http//www.alcoholconcer
n.org.uk/ http//www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/
http//www.als.org.uk/ http//www.amber-web.org/ h
ttp//www.amostrust.org/ http//www.article19.org/
http//www.aspire.org.uk/ http//www.afasic.org.u
k/ http//www.babymilkaction.org/ http//www.barbe
d.org.uk/ http//www.baspcan.org.uk/ http//www.be
lfastpride.com/ http//www.jabw.demon.co.uk/firman
1.htm http//www.bilderberg.org/ http//www.bnrrn.
org.uk/ http//blackpoolpride.com/drupal/ http//w
ww.bliss.org.uk/ http//www.bme.org.uk/ http//www
.bodnotbod.org.uk/ http//www.bradenhamhall.co.uk/
http//www.brightonpride.org/ http//www.baff.org
.uk/ http//www.base.org.uk/
http//www.leicesterpride.co.uk/ http//www.lillip
utlane.co.uk/ http//www.londonscalextricclub.co.u
k/ http//www.londonsocialisthistorians.org/ http
//www.manchesterpride.com/ http//www.melaniephill
ips.com/ http//www.melright.com/music/ http//www
.mutatoes.org/ http//www.nrpt.co.uk/ http//www.n
aturalcollection.com/ http//www.newacropolisuk.or
g/ http//www.northernracingcollege.co.uk/ http//
www.nationalanguillaclub.co.ukhttp//www.bda.uk.c
om/ http//www.britisheco.com http//www.blrg.org.
uk/ http//www.brittlebone.org/ http//www.brook.o
rg.uk/ http//www.budgieman.co.uk/ http//www.camd
enabudis.net/ http//www.cbpta.com/ http//www.cnw
p.org.uk/ http//www.bettertransport.org.uk/
http//www.sardineman.org.uk/ http//www.caab.org
.uk/ http//www.nch.org.uk/ http//www.nationalang
uillaclub.co.uk/
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More minority websites selected
http//www.bicom.org.uk/ http//www.communityresil
ience.cc/ http//www.concordesst.com/ http//www.c
ranborne.co.uk/ http//members.aol.com/CruiseAZ/ h
ttp//www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/ http//www.ja
meshovercraft.co.uk/ http//www.naar.org.uk/lagcar
/ http//www.lifetimefitness.co.uk/ http//www.mod
elhover.org.uk/ http//newafricanperspective.blogs
pot.com/ http//www.peacedirect.org/ http//www.qu
illiamfoundation.org/ http//www.rainrescue.co.uk/
http//www.raptorcentre.co.uk/ http//www.ratplan
et.co.uk/ http//www.ratrehome.co.uk/ http//www
.respectforanimals.co.uk/ http//www.save-concorde
.co.uk/ http//www.smashedo.org.uk/ http//www.tri
odos.co.uk/ http//www.u3a-info.co.uk/ http//www.
workwiseuk.org/ http//www.ndaf.org/ http//www.bs
sa.co.uk/ OR http//www.british-shops.co.uk/ http
//www.caade.net/ http//www.ssaw.org.uk/
http//files.pcadvance.co.uk/ssaw/ http//www.han
dsoffiraqioil.org/? ? ?
http//www.pdmhs.com/ http//www.crce.org.uk/ http
//www.scientology.org.uk/ http//www.users.zetnet
.co.uk/mmartin/fifepits/ http//www.jnadin1.50megs
.com/ http//www.projects.ex.ac.uk/mhn/ http//www
.mininginstitute.org.uk/ http//www.freewebs.com/y
orkshiremain http//www.mining-memorabilia.co.uk/
http//www.africanmusiciansprofiles.com http//www
.dogonmusic.co.uk/ http//www.konimusic.co.uk/ htt
p//www.panpodium.com/ http//www.anguillajazz.org
/ http//www.thefirstpost.co.uk/ http//www.gijonn
y.co.uk/ http//www.geocities.com/by_elections/ ht
tp//www.flyingfish.org.uk/ http//www.bsst.org.uk
/ http//www.englishdemocrats.org.uk/ http//www.n
ationalanguillaclub.co.uk/http//www.becon.org.uk
/ http//www.manze.co.uk/ http//www.eelhouse.co.
uk/ http//www.hodology.com/ http//www.asylumlink
.org.uk http//www.jpr.org.uk/ http//www.exercise
register.org/? ? ?
http//www.nottinghampride.co.uk/ http//www.oxfor
dpride.org.uk/ http//www.pagan-network.org/ http
//www.paxchristi.org.uk/ http//pagi.pwp.blueyonde
r.co.uk/ http//www.prideincanterbury.org.uk/ http
//www.redpepper.org.uk/ http//www.running4women.
com/ http//www.sirc.org/ http//obifromsouthlondo
n.blogspot.com/ http//www.swlondontwinsclub.org/
http//www.ukstrokeforum.org/ http//www.stewartle
e.co.uk/ http//www.stoparmingisrael.org/ http//w
ww.swirlednews.com/ http//www.consultation.nats.c
o.uk/ http//www.ttag.org.uk/ http//www.witchcraf
tshop.co.uk/ http//www.wpf.org.uk/ http//www.sch
oolbuilding.co.uk/ http//www.anguillachamber.com/
http//www.gaymonitor.co.uk/ http//www.nigelseco
store.com/ http//www.advocacyinternational.co.uk/
http//www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/http//www.cmhr
c.co.uk/ http//www.dmm.org.uk/ http//www.fifemin
ingheritage.org.uk/http//www.voice-em.org.uk/ ?
? ?
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Legal Deposit

• Between 20-25 of the selected websites get
  archived!
• Lack of national regulation, needs permission to
  gather and permission to give access to archived
  site
• Legal Deposit Libraries Act 2003 and extension of
  legal deposit to non-print publications not yet
  fully implemented
• Regulations being suggested by Legal Deposit
  Advisory Panel, advising the Secretary of State
  on implementation of the Act
• Slow process with delays earliest legislation
  expected end 2010

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Permission issues

• low response / success rate (30 / 25)
• 3rd party implications can be prohibitive e.g.
  over 100 contributors
• timescales for website owners to fill in
  legalistic form
• Resources required on both sides to do admin
  involved
• Difficulties in tracking down the right person
• Valuable sites disappearing before the owner
  found or contacted
• Lack of public awareness about web archiving

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Technical difficulties

• Crawler traps
• JavaScript
• Flash
• Very big and complex sites
• Forms
• Subscription areas

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Selective versus domain archiving

• Two complementary approaches selective and
  domain archiving

• Selective archiving
• More frequent gathers manual QA
• Guided by collection policy
• Can be based on events or themes e.g. credit
  crunch
• Permissions for 24/7 access

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We need your help

• Please give us permissions to archive, make
  accessible and preserve your websites
• Please recommend websites which you think should
  be preserved
• Use the nomination form on the UK web archive
  http//www.webarchive.org.uk/
• Or send us an email web-archivist_at_bl.uk