culture.gov.au

Connecting you with Australian culture online

Website collection policy

Application of the policy | Interpretation of the policy

1. A policy based on 'significance'

The process for selecting and collecting Australian culture and recreation websites across the Database categories will be based on an assessment of their 'significance', a concept investigated by the former Heritage Collections Council.

Assessments of significance can help to clarify the values or underlying reasons why an item should be collected or maintained. Values which may be identified as significant for the collection of websites include:

• historical significance by association with people, events, places and themes;
• aesthetic significance based on craftsmanship, style, technical excellence, beauty, demonstration of skill, and quality of design and execution;
• research significance if there is major potential for further examination or study; and
• social significance where there is evidence of community value or esteem.

These high level concepts used by archives, galleries, libraries, museums and other collecting institutions can be used to inform criteria setting out the attributes of 'quality websites' collected by the Portal.

Specifically, the Portal website collection policy aims to take account of significance assessments which have already been undertaken within the culture and recreation sector.

As a collection, the database aims to reflect the 'interwoven elements' of collections that together document, interpret and contribute to Australia's history, identity and culture.

2. Defining a quality website

Drawing together from a range of information and resources available, a quality website is broadly defined as:

Delivering up-to-date, comprehensive and easy-to-use online services based on acceptable publishing and technical standards and which improves access to information significant to the culture and recreation sector.

3. Essential criteria for quality websites

There are common and essential criteria for determining quality Australian websites, which have been defined within the Australian culture and recreation sector for the online environment. These criteria will be applied to determine quality Australian websites for inclusion in the Portal database:

• accessibility, which is apparent in respect of usability, publishing standards, and document formats, considered with reference to the Australian Government Information Management Office Web Publishing Guide - Accessibility, the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 and Vision Australia's web accessibility resources;
• authenticity, which is evident in terms of authority, authorship, accuracy of content and documentation of sources;
• community benefit, which is clear from the significance values, relevance, currency and timeliness;
• focus, on Australian culture and recreation, which is evident from its primary concerns, access to information and comprehensive nature of the information; and
• functionality, which is apparent in terms of navigation, accuracy and links.

4. Desirable criteria

There are also desirable criteria for distinguishing quality Australian websites within the culture and recreation sector for the online environment. These desirable criteria are encouraged as a goal for the online environment in the Australian culture and recreation sector. Where appropriate, and where required, the Portal's website collection procedures will take into account the following desirable criteria for an Australian 'quality website':

• aesthetics and design - products that work, combine fun with function, have aesthetic impact, appeal and identity;
• continuity - evidence of focus on continuity within the site;
• implementation - demonstration of plans put into effect, of collaboration, and satisfying identified requirements or conditions;
• innovation - showing distinctiveness, uniqueness, originality, overcoming challenges and introducing new methods or items; and
• synthesis - making the complex look simple, providing context.

5. Priority categories

Based on the Review of the Portal's website collection policy, which undertook a statistical analysis of the categories and the most popular search queries, a number of gap areas were identified. Consequently, in addition to collecting quality websites over all the Database categories; the Portal will collect quality websites in the following priority areas from June 2007, especially:

• Architecture and design;
• Film, video and digital media;
• Built, natural and historic heritage (especially historic);
• Indigenous arts, culture and heritage; and
• Print, radio and TV.

6. Popular categories

The Culture and Recreation Portal will continue to assess and collect websites based on the definition of a quality website and the criteria of significance in the popular categories such as:

• Festivals and events;
• Music;
• Peak organisations;
• Performing arts; and
• Visual arts and crafts.

7. Selection methods for collecting websites for the Database

The main ways that websites will be selected for assessment will be via:

• periodic harvesting, through weekly updates to the Portal News and Events pages and in preparing Australian Stories;
• thematic collection, by drawing on a range of available resources including trade journals, search engines and specialist databases; and
• public submissions lists, compiled through submission of websites to the Portal Editor.

8. Process for consideration of public website submissions

The previous online form for public website submissions will not be restored at this stage. Instead, the following process will available for website submissions:

1. Submissions will be considered through Editor's email, editor@culture.gov.au.
2. Preliminary assessment as described in the website collection policy of websites against priority and popular categories and essential criteria to be undertaken by the Editor.
3. Submission of full details of website to be requested by the Editor, if required.
4. Final assessment done by the Editor.
5. There will be no correspondence entered into after final assessment.
6. The time frame for assessment of submissions will be two months from the initial email request to the Editor to upload of the website to the Database by the Editor.

9. Annual review

It is intended that the priority categories for website collection and guidelines will be reviewed on an annual basis with an invitation for public comment.

10. Application of the website collection policy

We will endeavour to list and index all Australian websites which satisfy our website collection policy. However, there may be exceptions where, for example, a site is itself a searchable directory, database or catalogue; or a site has been suggested to us but is a lower priority according to this policy; or where there are technical reasons which prevent us from indexing a site (for example, where a website has a robot exclusion facility). In these instances most websites will be listed but not indexed. 

The website collection policy will be interpreted and applied in the context of the Portal's mission statement and the requirements of ACMA in relation to regulation of online content and relevant codes of practice (see our disclaimer notice and complaints and classification of content page).