Archived State Government Websites

The State Archives and the State Library are pleased to provide access to archived copies of State government Websites that are no longer available on the live Web:

Websites of former Governors George E. Pataki and Eliot L. Spitzer, and David A. Paterson
Websites documenting other former elected officials
Websites of State government bodies that no longer exist

Why preserve these sites?

Websites have become part of the “public face” of State government: elected officials, executive branch agencies, and other bodies use the Web to disseminate information and conduct business with citizens. Periodically capturing State government sites helps to ensure that older information remains accessible to the public.

Access Problems Affecting All Archived Websites

When you visit these archived sites, keep in mind that some types of site content cannot be archived properly:

• External hyperlinks (links to content on sites other than that the archived site). For example, if a link on Governor Pataki’s site goes to the State Assembly’s Web site, the link will not work
• Information that can be accessed only after you complete a form
• Most audiovisual materials
• Some advanced Web formatting and design elements, including external stylesheets and some types of Javascript

Additional access problems specific to each site are noted below.

How were these sites captured?

Working with the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC), Archives and Library staff periodically use a “web crawler”—a specialized software program that copies all of the files found on a given website and preserves the hyperlinks that connect them—to copy State government sites.

More information:

The New York State Archives is the official repository of New York State government records having permanent legal and historical value. It has custody of legislative, judicial and executive agency records.

The New York State Library collects, preserves, and makes available State government publications and other materials that support State government work.

For additional information, contact:

New York State Archives
Reference Services
archref@nysed.gov
(518) 474-8955

New York State Library
Reference Services
http://www.forms2.nysed.gov/nysl/refserv.cfm (online reference request form)
(518) 474-5355