When the DOJ rolled out its final rule for Title II of the ADA for state and local governments, it brought some long-overdue clarity—and also raised critical questions surrounding the topic of archiving. Suddenly, it’s not just about making your website accessible before the deadline; you also need a game plan for handling older content. Knowing what to archive—and how to do it—helps you stay compliant and ensures critical information remains accessible to everyone.
Thankfully, accessibility expert Dax Castro has created a straightforward checklist to help you determine what to archive and when. It’s the perfect starting point for building an archiving strategy that will help keep you compliant.
Why Archive Your Documents and Webpages?
There are many reasons why archiving your documents is essential and a good habit to adopt. Some key reasons include:
- Auditing
- Data preservation
- Legal accountability
- Historical and cultural preservation
Regarding the final rule for Title II of the ADA, archived documents on websites can be exempt from immediate accessibility requirements and deadlines, keeping in mind that accessibility should still be a priority for all your archived content.
Even if some archived content is exempt, you are required to make it accessible if someone requests it or if it’s brought back into active use, meaning it’s involved in any current programs, services, or activities.
This is where Dax Castro’s checklist proves to be an invaluable resource.
Determining which documents and webpages can and should be archived is the low-hanging fruit step in this process. Use the four-question assessment included in the checklist to quickly sort what stays active and what gets moved to the archives.
And, if you don’t already have one, create a separate, dedicated section of your website for archived content. Make sure to identify this section as Archived or Reference Only.
For each document, ensure that you clearly indicate that it is archived and may not be accessible. (For me, this is the biggest takeaway from this checklist.) Along with that message, include a contact email and phone number for access assistance.
Now’s the time to take a look at your digital content and get ahead of the DOJ’s Title II requirements - don’t wait for a complaint or audit. Start building a clear and consistent archiving process that keeps you compliant and prioritizes accessibility. Taking the time now to align your archiving practices with the Title II requirements is an investment in both compliance and inclusivity.
Resources
- DOJ Title II Regulation: Summary of Expectation
- Dax Castro's post on LinkedIn - "Do you know when to archive a document according to the DOJ Title II requirements? It is not as cut and dry as you might think!"
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