ILMARION-L Archives

From: "Cheryl Rothwell" <>
Subject: [ILMARION] Guidelines for Genealogy Web Sites
Date: Tue, 13 Jun 2000 10:17:13 -0400

Genealogical Standards Guidelines For Publishing Web Pages On The Internet
Recommended by the National Genealogical Society, May 2000

Appreciating that publishing information through Internet web
sites and web pages shares many similarities with print
publishing, considerate family historians

* apply a single title to an entire web site, as they would to
a book, placing it both in the <TITLE> HTML tag that appears
at the top of the web browser window for each web page to be
viewed, and also in the body of the web document, on the
opening home, title or index page.

* explain the purposes and objectives of their web sites,
placing the explanation near the top of the title page or
including a link from that page to a special page about the
reason for the site.

* display a footer at the bottom of each web page which contains
the web site title, page title, author's name, author's
contact information, date of last revision and a copyright
statement.

* provide complete contact information, including at a minimum a
name and e-mail address, and preferably some means for long-
term contact, like a postal address.

* assist visitors by providing on each page navigational links
that lead visitors to other important pages on the web site,
or return them to the home page.

* adhere to the NGS "Standards for Sharing Information with
Others" regarding copyright, attribution, privacy, and the
sharing of sensitive information.

* include unambiguous source citations for the research data
provided on the site, and if not complete descriptions,
offering full citations upon request.

* label photographic and scanned images within the graphic
itself, with fuller explanation if required in text adjacent
to the graphic.

* identify transcribed, extracted or abstracted data as such,
and provide appropriate source citations.

* include identifying dates and locations when providing
information about specific surnames or individuals.

* respect the rights of others who do not wish information about
themselves to be published, referenced or linked on a web
site.

* provide web site access to all potential visitors by avoiding
enhanced technical capabilities that may not be available to
all users, remembering that not all computers are created
equal.

* avoid using features that distract from the productive use of
the web site, like ones that reduce legibility, strain the
eyes, dazzle the vision, or otherwise detract from the
visitor's ability to easily read, study, comprehend or print
the online publication.

* maintain their online publications at frequent intervals,
changing the content to keep the information current, the
links valid, and the web site in good working order.

* preserve and archive for future researchers their online
publications and communications that have lasting value, using
both electronic and paper duplication.

(c)2000 by National Genealogical Society. Permission is granted to
copy or publish this material provided it is reproduced in its
entirety, including this notice.

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• [ILMARION] Guidelines for Genealogy Web Sites by "Cheryl Rothwell" <>