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Why is the Israeli internet being archived?
Nowadays, when millions of words are being composed on the internet yearly, there is no doubt that that the internet is central to Israeli cultural life and public events. The archiving of the Israeli internet is a way to document and preserve this content for the future and for coming generations.
Why is the National Library, specifically, building the Israeli Internet Archive?
The National Library is tasked with preserving the collective memory of the State of Israel and the Jewish people. The National Library Law defines this and imposes this role on it, and included in this is the task of preserving everything that is published in print or electronically that touches on Israeli culture and the State of Israel.
What will the archive contain?
The archive will contain all websites whose URL ends in ".il". The archive will be created by an automatic scan that will gather all pages whose addresses fit the criteria.
Will the archive contain all Israeli websites?
No. It's important to know that the automatic scan will copy homepages and pages linked to the homepages, to a certain extent. Meaning, the scan will copy linked pages up to a certain "depth" of links, but no further.
How will I know if my page is preserved in the archive?
The system will leave a line of text on the copied page, noting that it was copied into the archive. The line will include a link to the FAQ on the National Library's website. The archiving of a website will result in it being able to be found and read via the National Library's catalog.
I'm registered on my bank's website, the "Bituah Leumi" website and on an online shopping website- will the archive also include this information?
No. Pages that are password protected, and contain private information like medical or financial details, won't be copied into the Israeli Internet Archive.
How can I view the Israeli Internet Archive?
For reasons related to copyright law, at this stage, it will only be possible to view the archive from within the building of the National Library. The materials in the archive will be included in the Library's "Merhav" catalog. When a search is performed using the "Merhav" system from within the Library building, the results will include pages from the archive.
How often will the archive be updated?
The websites will be scanned and copied about twice a year. Details will be published on the National Library website.
My website is not in the archive and I would like it to be. What should I do?
You can send us the details of your website via a special form. In addition, the form allows you to recommend websites that you think will make a good addition to the archive, but have not yet been added via the automatic scan.
I don't want my website to be preserved in the archive. What should I do?
Creating a website means that it will viewable by the public. Just like a book that's been published, or an article in a newspaper, or a notice posted on the street which, by law, are preserved by the National Library, so too publishing on the internet allows the National Library to include the website in the archive. Therefore, any website on the internet whose address ends in ".il", will be included in the Israeli Internet Archive.
Details that I don't wish to have divulged were published about me on a website. What should I do?
The National Library abides by the laws of the State of Israel. If the law or a court decision obligates the removal of material from the internet, the National Library will act accordingly.