culture.gov.au

Connecting you with Australian culture online

Website collection policy

(See also: Application and interpretation of the policy)

The primary objective of the Culture Portal, as defined in our Mission statement, is to improve and develop online access to, and participation in, Australia's cultural activities.

One way in which the Portal improves online access is by maintaining a database which collects Australian culture websites. 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.

The process for developing this policy for the collection of websites involved examination of the website collecting policies of other Australian Government portals, the significance assessment principles used by the key collecting institutions (archives, galleries, libraries and museums) as well as other comparable website selection frameworks, such as the Pandora website archive.

1. A policy based on 'significance'

The process for selecting and collecting Australian culture websites across the database categories will be based on an assessment of their 'significance' - historical, aesthetic, research or social - a concept investigated by the former Heritage Collections Council.

Assessments of significance clarify the values or underlying reasons why an item should be collected or maintained.

This policy aims to take account of significance assessments which have already been undertaken within the culture sector.

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 classification, publishing and technical standards and which improves access to information significant to the Australian culture sector.

As part of improving access to significant Australian culture information, the Portal aims to increase awareness of web accessibility, and to encourage websites to meet the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.

2.1 Essential criteria for quality websites

There are common and essential criteria for determining quality Australian websites, which have been defined within the Australian culture 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 publishing standards and document formats;
• 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, which is evident from its primary concerns, access to information and comprehensive nature of the information; and
• usability, which is apparent in terms of navigation, accuracy and links.

2.2 Desirable criteria for quality websites

There are also desirable criteria for distinguishing quality Australian websites within the culture sector for the online environment. These desirable criteria are encouraged as a goal for the online environment in the Australian culture 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.

3. 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:

• 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.

4. Other categories

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

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

5. 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.

6. Process for consideration of public website submissions

The previous online form for public website submissions will not be restored at this stage. Instead, the process is available on our 'Submit a website' page.

7. Application of the website collection policy

A guide to the application and interpretation of this policy is available.

8. Invitation for public comment

It is intended that an invitation for public comment on this policy will be issued each year, between July and September. A summary of comments, and responses to them, will be available. In addition, progress in addressing gap areas will be noted.

9. Listing and indexing

'Listing' means website names and brief details will be listed in our search results, with a direct link to the website. 'Indexing' means that, in addition to listing, all text content of a website will be indexed to enable searches of content via our search engine.

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. 

10. Filtering of online content

While we do apply selection criteria to decide which websites to list, index and link to, we do not use any filtering software in providing these services.

Consequently, users who may be concerned about retrieving and viewing material which they think may be offensive to them - or who exercise a supervisory role with others - should consider installing suitable filtering software on their computers to avoid downloading potentially offensive material.

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).