Thursday, February 13, 2025

Web Archiving Guide for Librarians & Patrons | How to Preserve Websites & Data

 Learn how to archive websites and preserve digital content with this detailed guide for librarians and patrons. Discover the importance of web archiving, step-by-step instructions for using the Wayback Machine and other tools, and how you can participate in saving valuable online data.


Guide to Web Archiving for Librarians and Patrons

1. Introduction

What is Web Archiving?
Web archiving collects, preserves, and manages web-based information to remain accessible to future researchers, historians, journalists, and citizens. It ensures that websites, online documents, data, and other content are not lost when a site is removed, altered, or taken offline.

Why Web Archiving Matters

  • Preserving Public Records: Government agencies and other organizations publish essential data online. Without web archiving, historical records disappear if those agencies remove or change pages.
  • Accountability & Transparency: Journalists, researchers, and the public can track changes over time, ensuring that data is not quietly rewritten or purged.
  • Historical Research: Future scholars rely on these archives to understand past events, policies, and social conditions.
  • Public Access: Web archives allow anyone to view old versions of websites without special permissions or proprietary software.

2. Why It Is Important to Archive Websites

  1. Government Data & Public Policy

    • Federal websites (e.g., https://www.census.gov/ for Census data) can change or remove information without notice. Archiving helps preserve everything from demographic data to environmental statistics.

  2. Local Government & Community Information

    • County or city portals often host meeting minutes, budget documents, and other records. However, these can disappear if a site is redesigned or if new administrators decide to remove them.

  3. Research & Academic Integrity

    • Universities and research labs frequently post datasets and study results. If grants change or departments merge, these pages can vanish. An archive keeps these resources alive for long-term study.

  4. Journalistic & Investigative Purposes

    • Investigative reporters use historical snapshots of web pages to compare past statements or track the history of government agencies, corporations, or organizations.

  5. Cultural & Social Heritage

    • The internet captures our modern culture—memes, social movements, and community-driven projects. However, if these records are preserved, future generations can learn from them.

3. How You Can Participate in Web Archiving

  1. Submit URLs to the Internet Archive

    • Most people can help by saving pages on the Wayback Machine. Section 4.1 below provides more details.

  2. Identify Vulnerable Content

    • Look for data sets or web pages that might be at risk (e.g., government sites and project pages from local or smaller agencies that lack robust preservation plans).

  3. Join Data Rescue Efforts

    • Data Liberation Project: Follow announcements and sign up to help identify and archive threatened data.
    • Data Rescue Project: Look for local “Data Rescue” events or join the broader online community to help find, download, and store critical information.

  4. File FOIA Requests

    • If you suspect data has already been removed, you can use MuckRock to file Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.

  5. Volunteer Technical Skills

    • You might help with specialized web crawling or bulk data downloads if you have programming or data management skills. Objects like Big Local News and the End-of-Termhive often welcome coders, data analysts, and other volunteers.

  6. Spread the Word

    • Encourage your community to save pages of interest. The more people who know how to archive, the less likely vital data will vanish.

4. Key Tools & Platforms

4.1 Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine

  • URL: https://archive.org/web
  • Purpose: Captures website snapshots (“crawls”) for long-term preservation and public access.
  • How to Save a Webpage:
    1. Go to https://archive.org/web.
    2. In the “Save Page Now” box, paste the URL of the page you want to archive.
    3. Click SAVE PAGE.
    4. Wait for the snapshot to process; the Wayback Machine will give you a permanent archived link.
  • Submitting Lists in Bulk
    • Use the Wayback Machine’s Google Sheets submission tool for large batches of URLs. Create a spreadsheet of URLs, then submit them all at once.

4.2 End of Term (EOT) Archive

4.3 Big Local News

  • URL: https://biglocalnews.org
  • Purpose: Helps local newsrooms collect and analyze public data.
  • Participation:
    • Contact Big Local News if you have local datasets or want to volunteer data analysis skills.

4.4 Data Liberation Project & MuckRock

  • Data Liberation Project

  • MuckRock

    • URL: https://www.muckrock.com
    • Overview: Non-profit collaborative news site that facilitates FOIA requests and hosts a massive repository of government documents.
    • DocumentCloud: (Included under the MuckRock Foundation umbrella) used by thousands of newsrooms to organize, annotate, and publish primary source documents.
    • How to Participate:
      • Suggest FOIA requests for missing or altered data sets.
      • Check out MuckRock’s training on transparency and investigative journalism.

4.5 Library Innovation Lab

  • URL: https://lil.law.harvard.edu/
  • Overview: A software and design lab at the Harvard Law School Library dedicated to building open knowledge projects.
  • Director: Jack Cushman.

5. Step-by-Step: Teaching Patrons How to Archive a Website

  1. Identify the Website

    • Encourage patrons to choose a page containing potentially at-risk info—e.g., local government meeting minutes, federal datasets, or specialized research.

  2. Use the Wayback Machine

    • Visit https://archive.org/web.
    • Paste the URL into the “Save Page Now” field.
    • Click SAVE PAGE to capture a snapshot.

  3. Verify the Snapshot

    • Once archived, verify the page’s text, images, and download links (if any) are captured. Some dynamic content might not be fully captured; advanced tools can help.

  4. Document the Archive

    • Store the archived URL in a shared spreadsheet or library resource guide. Record the date, the original URL, and the archived link.

  5. Contribute to Collaborative EffortsIf: If relevant, share the archived URL with the End-of-Termhive or the Data Rescue Project (or a similar initiative). The content is part of a more extensive database and coordinates with projects like Big Local News.

6. Tips for Going Beyond Basic Archiving

  • Bulk Archiving: Use Wayback Machine’s Google Sheets tool or specialized crawlers like Webrecorder (for interactive pages).
  • Local Data Preservation: Encourage patrons to check local municipality or county sites. Sometimes, local data is even more vulnerable to loss than federal data.
  • Collaborate With Other Institutions: Universities, public libraries, and historical societies often have digital preservation or IT departments that can help manage large-scale archiving.
  • Digital Tools & Scripting: Patrons with coding skills may explore Python-based tools like ArchiveBot or Heritrix.
  • Advocacy & Policy: Teach patrons that archiving is also about awareness—encourage them to support policies that require better government transparency and data retention.

7. Recommended Links and Resources

Below are the direct links (all publicly available) from presenters and attendees mentioned in your notes:

Subscription/Contact Links:

8. Key People & Their Roles

  • Mark Graham

    • Role: Director of the Wayback Machine at the Internet Archive
    • Focus: Archiving the web daily, ensuring it’s publicly accessible.
    • URL: https://archive.org/web

  • Sarah Cohen

    • Role: Works with Big Local News, trains local journalists
    • Focus: Data analysis for investigative stories
    • URL: https://biglocalnews.org

  • Jack Cushman

    • Role: Director, Library Innovation Lab at Harvard Law School
    • Focus: Merging library principles with software, design, and legal innovation
    • URL: https://lil.law.harvard.edu/

  • Lynda Kellam, PhD

    • Role: Secretary of IASSIST, longtime academic data librarian
    • Focus: Data management, government information, and stewardship
    • Related Projects: https://iassistdata.org/

  • Michael Morisy

    • Role: Chief Executive Officer at MuckRock
    • Focus: FOIA requests, transparency, investigative journalism training
    • URL: https://www.muckrock.com

9. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  1. How can non-US patrons or institutions help?

    • Submit URLs to https://archive.org/web, share local or international data sets, and mirror archives if you have the server capacity.

  2. What if the page has interactive elements like maps or tools?

    • The basic Wayback Machine capture might not include dynamic content. Consider using tools like Webrecorder to capture interactive sessions.

  3. How can I find which datasets need archiving the most?

    • Check: You can check the Data Rescue Tracker (or partner sites), which often lists priority datasets. You can also ask in the Data Liberation Project Slack or MuckRock communities.

  4. Is it legal to archive any webpage?

    • Generally, capturing publicly available web pages for preservation is considered fair use or library/archive practice in many jurisdictions. If you’re unsure, consult your library’s legal guidelines or resources.

  5. Is there a single, comprehensive list of everything being archived?

    • No single list exists because many groups run parallel efforts. However, the Internet Archive is the largest aggregator. The End of Term Archive focuses on federal government websites.

  6. How can we preserve large datasets like Census data?

  7. What if I have hard drive space to donate?

    • You can contact the Data Rescue Project or the Internet Archive to see if they accept mirrored data. Some projects prefer distributed backups.

10. Workshop/Session Notes

  • Keep It Interactive: Encourage patrons to try saving a webpage themselves during your session.
  • Highlight Collaboration: Show them how to share archived URLs with others or how to add them to a public spreadsheet.
  • Questions & Answer Time: Collect questions in a shared document (e.g., Google Doc), similar to the approach used in the event notes you provided, so everyone can benefit from the discussion.
  • Follow-Up: After the session, provide a read-only version of your collaborative document with all resources, archived links, and Q&A for future reference.

Conclusion

Web archiving is a powerful way to protect our collective digital heritage. By learning to capture at-risk websites and data, librarians and patrons can ensure vital information remains accessible to researchers, journalists, and the public for decades. Remember:

Every URL you save helps preserve the historical record.

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100 Best Medical Search Engines & Databases for Research & Healthcare Professionals

 


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Library DEIA Assessment Guide 2025

Library DEIA Assessment Guide

Revised Library DEIA Assessment Guide

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction: Why DEIA Assessment Matters
  2. Key Definitions and Concepts
  3. Establishing an Assessment Plan
  4. Internal vs. External Assessment
  5. Methods and Tools for DEIA Assessment
  6. Inclusive Approaches & Multiple Perspectives
  7. Addressing Challenges & Managing Change
  8. Applying Findings: Closing the Loop
  9. Case Examples & Success Highlights
  10. Action Steps & Recommendations
  11. Additional Resources

1. Introduction: Why DEIA Assessment Matters

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) remain critical for community and junior college libraries, which often serve highly diverse populations. Systematic DEIA assessments help libraries:

  • Identify and address gaps in collections, services, policies, and staffing.
  • Foster student success and retention by creating welcoming, inclusive environments.
  • Promote equity in resource access and representation.
  • Demonstrate accountability to college administrators, accreditors, and community stakeholders.
Example: A community college library with a predominantly first-generation student population can use DEIA assessment to discover whether library signage, programming, and collections adequately reflect these learners’ cultures and experiences, thus enhancing their sense of belonging.

2. Key Definitions and Concepts

  • Diversity: Representation of various backgrounds (race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, ability, age, religion, socioeconomic status, etc.).
  • Equity: Fair treatment and resource distribution to ensure everyone has the support they need to succeed.
  • Inclusion: Efforts that actively involve and empower individuals and groups so that all voices are genuinely heard and can influence decisions.
  • Accessibility: Ensuring services, spaces, and digital tools are designed for full participation by individuals of all abilities.
  • Belonging: The feeling of comfort, acceptance, and “fit” within a community or institution—often a key predictor of both retention and success.
Example: When updating a library building, ensuring ramps, braille signage, and text-to-speech tools (Accessibility) is just as important as inclusive social events, displays, or policies that welcome everyone (Inclusion), combined with a budgeting strategy that addresses historic inequalities (Equity).

3. Establishing an Assessment Plan

3.1 Basic Steps

  1. Determine Scope & Purpose
    Decide if you are primarily assessing collections, staff culture, programming, or overall climate.
    Example: You might focus on whether your workshop series equally engages ESL students, older adult learners, and students with disabilities.
  2. Form a Core Team
    Include librarians, faculty, students, staff, and institutional researchers.
    Example: A DEIA Working Group with a cataloger, a reference librarian, a student representative, and your IR staff can provide balanced perspectives.
  3. Create Definitions & Goals
    Develop local definitions for “diversity,” “equity,” “inclusion,” “accessibility,” and “belonging.”
    Example: The library’s goal might be “to have the demographics of student workers in the library match campus demographics within two years.”
  4. Decide on Data Collection Methods
    Surveys, focus groups, interviews, observation, analysis of institutional records, or mixed methods.
    Example: A combination of a library climate survey plus HR data on staff retention can yield rich insights.
  5. Develop a Timeline and Budget
    Create a realistic schedule for data gathering, analysis, reflection, and action.
    Example: A Gantt chart showing data collection in Fall, analysis in Winter, and action planning in Spring.
  6. Plan for IRB or Privacy Concerns
    If collecting sensitive data (e.g., demographics, personal info), consult your institution’s IRB or privacy office.
    Example: If you track attendance for specific demographic groups at library events, ensure data confidentiality.

4. Internal vs. External Assessment

4.1 Internal

  • Focus: Staff demographics, recruitment, retention, professional development, internal policies.
  • Why: A supportive internal culture yields improved external services.
Practical Example: Interview staff who left within two years; if they cite feeling “isolated” or “unsupported,” implement mentorship or cluster-hiring strategies to improve retention.

4.2 External

  • Focus: Student demographics, community needs, usage data, programming attendance, perceived inclusivity.
  • Why: The library’s relevance depends on how well it meets the community’s and students’ actual needs.
Practical Example: Survey students about how well library resources reflect their identities. If you discover low representation, adjust collection development and event planning accordingly.

5. Methods and Tools for DEIA Assessment

5.1 Surveys

  • CCSSE (Community College Survey of Student Engagement) or similar.
  • HERI Diverse Learning Environments Survey for campus climate insights.
  • In-House Surveys tailored to your local context.
Example Question:
“Which of the following best describes how you feel in our library? (Select all that apply):
- My culture is reflected in signage/collections.
- Library staff treat me with respect.
- I find resources in my primary/preferred language.
- I feel safe asking for help with my unique needs.”

5.2 Focus Groups & Interviews

  • Gather qualitative insights to explore why certain gaps exist.
  • Train facilitators in cultural competence.
Example Protocol:
Opening: “Describe a recent positive experience you had in the library.”
Probing: “What specific changes could make you feel even more included here?”

5.3 Observation & Environmental Scans

  • Walk through library spaces and check for visual representation, signage clarity, ADA compliance, assistive technologies.
Example: Use a simple checklist for braille signage, height-adjustable desks, or gender-neutral restrooms.

5.4 Catalog Diversity Audits

  • Purpose: Determine whose voices are being amplified in the collection.
  • Process: Develop relevant categories (e.g., race, ethnicity, gender, disability) and systematically review acquisitions.
Student-Involved Example: Hire student interns to examine a subset of the catalog for author demographics—similar to Elizabeth Godwin’s project. Use these findings to align future acquisitions with campus diversity.

5.5 Institutional Data Analysis

  • Disaggregate usage stats and success rates by demographic group when possible.
  • Combine library usage data with broader campus metrics for deeper insights.
Example: Compare how many first-gen students check out materials vs. their overall proportion on campus. If they are underrepresented among library users, investigate possible barriers.

6. Inclusive Approaches & Multiple Perspectives

  1. Engage Stakeholders Early
    Include staff, faculty, and students to shape your assessment plan.
    Example: Form a DEIA Advisory Council meeting quarterly.
  2. Offer Multiple Ways to Contribute
    Combine surveys, open forums, suggestion boxes, and interviews.
    Example: Provide Zoom or phone interviews for distance learners with scheduling constraints.
  3. Recognize Intersectionality
    One identity category does not capture all nuances.
    Example: Pair surveys with one-on-one interviews to learn how being an older-adult ESL speaker shapes library engagement.
  4. Transparency & Context
    Explain how demographic info will be used, highlight privacy measures, and show how it drives improvement.
    Example: Before distributing a library climate survey, share a “FAQ” about why each question matters.

7. Addressing Challenges & Managing Change

7.1 Resistance to Change

  • Identify potential pushback (e.g., overburdened staff, tight budgets, or misunderstanding).
  • Strategies: Provide information sessions, staff development in implicit bias and inclusive service.
Example: A short “Implicit Bias in Collection Development” workshop can help staff see the benefit of more inclusive acquisition processes.

7.2 Budget and Resource Constraints

  • Pilot and Phase: Start small if resources are tight.
  • Collaborate: Seek grants, partner with other departments, or integrate projects into coursework.
Example: If a full catalog reclassification is impossible, do a partial audit for social sciences materials and expand over time.

7.3 Privacy/IRB Considerations

  • Consult IRB or ethics boards if data will be published or widely shared.
Example: For a student-driven diversity audit, ensure permission to analyze usage data or track demographics has been granted.

7.4 Staff Turnover & Training

  • Maintain institutional knowledge with clear documentation of processes.
Example: Create a “DEIA Assessment Handbook” on your intranet so new hires can quickly learn established practices.

8. Applying Findings: Closing the Loop

8.1 Analyze Thoroughly

  • Look for patterns in disaggregated data.
  • Compare results year-over-year or with external benchmarks.

8.2 Communicate Results

  • Share in accessible formats: concise reports, infographics, or presentations.
Example: A 1-page “DEIA Highlights & Next Steps” summary can be shared in staff meetings or faculty senate gatherings.

8.3 Implement Changes & Document

  • Align action items with data findings.
Example: If older adult students struggle with library technology, create a dedicated tutorial or embed tech support in library orientation.

8.4 Reassess

  • Schedule re-evaluation every 6–12 months.
Example: After launching an “Inclusive Book Club,” measure attendance and belonging each session, then revisit data at semester’s end.

9. Case Examples & Success Highlights

  1. Cluster Hiring for Retention
    Challenge: Repeated turnover among librarians from minoritized groups.
    Assessment Action: Data showed feelings of isolation; admin approved multi-person hiring.
    Outcome: New librarians formed a supportive cohort, improving retention.
  2. Student-Driven Diversity Audit
    Challenge: Limited staff capacity for catalog reviews.
    Assessment Action: Two student interns examined ~1,300 titles for ~12 minutes each.
    Outcome: Findings exposed collection gaps and informed better acquisition strategies.
  3. Library Workshops & Sense of Belonging
    Challenge: Low attendance among older adult learners at evening workshops.
    Assessment Action: Surveys revealed childcare and travel constraints.
    Outcome: Offering online synchronous options and childcare stipends tripled workshop attendance.

10. Action Steps & Recommendations

  1. Start Small: Begin with a pilot project (e.g., event feedback forms) to build momentum.
  2. Gather Broad Input: Involve staff, students, and faculty from multiple backgrounds and roles.
  3. Use Mixed Methods: Combine quantitative and qualitative data for a fuller understanding.
  4. Be Transparent About Privacy: Explain why demographic info is collected, how it will be used, and how confidentiality is protected.
  5. Publicly Address Results: Communicate findings, highlight successes, and discuss next steps openly.
  6. Maintain Ongoing Improvement: Plan a cycle of re-assessment—DEIA is not “one and done.”

11. Additional Resources

  • ACRL Diversity Standards: Guidelines for cultural competency in academic libraries.
  • Project READY: Free professional development materials focusing on racial equity (adaptable for various library contexts).
  • Library Assessment Conference Proceedings: Contains case studies and proven methods for library-based DEIA assessments.
  • In the Library with the Lead Pipe: Open-access journal featuring critical discussions on equity in LIS.
  • Urban Libraries Council’s Equity Toolkit: Offers frameworks adaptable for academic and community college libraries.

Closing Thoughts

DEIA assessments guide libraries to be more equitable and welcoming, ultimately boosting student success and staff satisfaction. By systematically collecting, analyzing, and acting on data, libraries can refine policies, enrich collections, and create environments where everyone feels they belong.

Practical Next Steps:
1. Identify one pilot (e.g., a diversity audit of your top 100 circulating titles) to gain momentum.
2. Document your assessment process and store it in a shared space for staff reference.
3. Schedule a follow-up within 6–12 months to reassess, adjust, and continue improving.

Use the examples in this guide to customize your approach according to your library’s goals, resources, and context. By keeping these guiding principles in mind, libraries can move beyond checklists and truly embed DEIA in daily practice.

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