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Introduction
Simon Fraser University Library preserves digital content that is of value to the SFU community. In conjunction with the Digital Preservation Framework, SFU Library actively engages in web archiving and making this content available.
Web archiving is the practice of collecting and archiving web-based content. At the SFU Library, it is primarily a collection-based activity informed by technological considerations.
Collection scope and purpose
In support of the SFU Library collection development policy, the Library collects and archives web content that supports the curricular and research needs of students and faculty at the University.
Criteria for inclusion
Nature of content for inclusion
Content not captured elsewhere that is nominated for inclusion should include one or more of the following:
- culturally and/or scholarly content which is at risk of disappearing.
- in support of SFU research and instruction.
- under the purview of the SFU Library.
- suggested by SFU faculty or the Library as content of significance.
- of local or regional importance.
Suggest content to be archived
You are invited to nominate web content for archiving via the Web Archiving form. Nominated content should meet the criteria listed above. Contact the web archiving team at lib-webarchiving@sfu.ca if you have questions.
Cross-institutional collaboration
The Library may elect to participate in collaborative, cross-institutional web archiving projects where the scope of collecting is too large for one institution to undertake.
Privacy considerations
Web content that is prohibited by Canadian or provincial law from residing on non-Canadian servers is ineligible for archiving.
Confidential content is not eligible for archiving.
Library rights
The Library includes among its rights the following. The Library may:
- evaluate and prioritize requests for archiving.
- assess requests for recurring captures of the same content.
- discontinue archiving and hosting captured content but will endeavour to provide options for continued access.
- choose the archiving technology and organizational structure of the content.
Access
Where appropriate and feasible, and where not restricted at the request of a website owner, the content of the websites that are collected will be made publicly available.
View the SFU Library’s collection of archived websites.
Ownership
Simon Fraser University Library respects the intellectual property rights and the proprietary rights of others. Copyright ownership remains with the owner(s) identified on a website and is governed by local, national, and/or international laws and regulations.
Authorized use
End users of websites archived by the Library should direct requests to reproduce or use the content archived by the Library to the website’s owner. The Library cannot authorize the reproduction or the re-use of the material nor will it act as intermediaries to the transaction. End users are responsible for identifying the copyright status of the website’s contents, as well as identifying and contacting the appropriate authority for permission.
End users must make themselves aware of their obligations to deal fairly with the content archived by the Library. When reproducing and using content from the Library’s web archive, the Library advises users to review the site’s terms of use, as well as inform themselves of the relevant laws applicable in their country.
End users are advised to refer to the Library’s copyright website and the Fair Dealing Policy.
Notification, take-down, and opting out
When a site owner authorizes the communication of their work to the public without technological restrictions, the Library views this as their implicit consent to the indexing and caching of their site. Where a site uses technological protection measures to restrict crawling technology, the Library will not harvest the content without providing notification and/or securing permission.
At the behest of a website owner, the Library will evaluate the request for the removal of content from the web archive for the full term of copyright, unless a shorter term is agreed upon. Any third parties wishing removal of content must make their request via the collected website’s owner.
Liability
The Library endeavours to maintain the integrity of archived website collections by capturing and presenting the information as it was originally made available. We strive to capture content as it is presented to the best of the ability of the archiving software available and the capacity of the staff who oversee that software.
The Library will not be held liable for the conduct or actions of site owners or those who access and use the website collection.
The Library does not assume responsibility for verifying the accuracy or lawfulness of the collected content nor is it responsible for monitoring the collected sites for copyright compliance. The site owner is responsible for the content they communicate to the public and is solely responsible for securing the necessary permissions and releases when required by law.
Those who access and use the website collection do so at their own risk.