Overview of Archive Team
Established in 2009, the Archive Team (distinct from the Archive-It Team at archive.org) is an independent collective of archivists committed to preserving copies of websites that are being rapidly erased or deleted, safeguarding them for future generations and enriching our digital heritage. This organization is entirely volunteer-driven and has broadened its scope to encompass numerous related initiatives aimed at protecting online and digital history.
The Importance of Preservation
History is often filled with disputes over the fate of a community, organization, location, or enterprise, typically resolved when one faction prevails and obliterates the existing elements. Once the source of contention is eliminated, further discussions tend to diminish. The Archive Team contends that by preserving critical data that is at risk of being lost, ongoing dialogue can persist, along with the valuable insights obtained from maintaining these materials. Our undertakings vary greatly in scale—from an individual volunteer downloading vital data from a small site to a collective of over 100 volunteers working together to secure terabytes of user-generated content for the benefit of future audiences.
Accessing Archive Team Resources
For the latest updates on various initiatives, manifestos, strategies, and guides related to our activities, please visit our main site at archiveteam.org.
Our Collection
This repository features the results from numerous Archive Team projects, both active and completed. Thanks to the generous allocation of disk space by the Internet Archive, we can provide multi-terabyte datasets, which are also utilized by the Wayback Machine, offering a route back to former websites and lost works.
Exploring Our Data
Our collection has expanded significantly, now including sub-collections categorized by the type of data we gather. If you’re interested in browsing these collections, the Wayback Machine is an excellent starting point. Alternatively, feel free to explore the various stacks to discover what you can find.
Panic Downloads
The Archive Team Panic Downloads are comprehensive backups of currently accessible websites, designed to function as emergency resources for sites facing closure or those that would be sorely missed if they were suddenly lost due to technical failures such as hard drive malfunctions or server outages.