Archives and Accessibility

By GIC Published on August 25th, 2025

Last updated on September 22nd, 2025

How an archive section can help your agency reach website compliance

Old opened wooden card catalogue drawers in a library archive row.

Concerns About Content Volume

Something we heard a lot at our recent Accessibility Workshop was concern about the sheer volume of content that needs remediation on some agency websites. If your site has literally thousands of PDFs dating back a couple decades, you aren’t alone.

But you do need to address it ahead of the April 24, 2026 ADA Accessibility deadline.

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!

The old motivational saying applies to this situation, with a caveat. The goal here is really to reduce the total amount of elephant that needs eating.

Or maybe it’s time to move past this metaphor altogether?

A cartoon of an elephant, looking at the viewer with a raised eyebrow and a skeptical expression.

What we’re suggesting is that the first step to this endeavor is to review your content and divide into chunks. Decide what can be deleted altogether. Also decide what content is old or outdated enough that it can be placed in an archive section on the site.

Our goal is to make all the information available to all Delawareans, but the archive exception of the ADA can serve as a valuable bridge by dramatically reducing the number of PDFs or web pages that must be remediated by the deadline.

While the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandates accessibility for digital content, a specific exception exists for archived materials, provided they meet certain conditions.

The Four Conditions for Approved Exception

Creation Date: The content must have been created or reproduced from physical media (like audiotapes or CDs) prior to the April 24, 2026 compliance deadline.

Purpose: The content must be kept solely for reference, research, or recordkeeping, and not for current instruction, programs, services, or public communication.

Location: The content must be stored in a designated and clearly labeled archive section.

No Modifications: The content must not be altered or updated once it has been archived. Any edits beyond the deadline, however minor, will disqualify it from this exception.

Rows of colorful file folders on shelves.

Managing Archived Content

Even if content qualifies as archived, individuals with disabilities must be able to easily request and receive an accessible version or an equally effective alternative when needed. This means that, in addition to establishing an Archive, your agency needs to build a mechanism for selective remediation upon request. Organizations should establish clear policies and procedures for archiving content, including how to designate, store, label, and manage requests for access.

In Delaware, government agencies are required to retain and protect public records, including requests by the public.

Archived sections and materials should be clearly labeled, potentially with a banner or message indicating they are no longer actively maintained and may not meet current accessibility standards. This message should also include instructions on how to request an accessible version.

If archived content is brought back into active use, it must be made fully accessible before being used again. Reusing content removes its eligibility for the archived content exception. Any new digital content created after the compliance deadline must be accessible, even if placed directly into an archive section.

In essence, while there’s an exception for certain archived materials, the overarching goal of the ADA is to ensure digital accessibility for everyone. Organizations must be prepared to provide accessible versions of archived content upon request, maintain proper archiving practices, and ensure new and reused content meets accessibility standards.

Best Practices for Archives and Accessibility

Dedicated archive section: Make sure the structure clearly designates a section of the website for archived content, usually a page or series of pages.
Informative banner: A banner at the top of the page should communicate the archive’s purpose and accessibility status, including a clear method for requesting accessible versions.
Clear page title and main heading (H1): The page must have a title and a prominent H1 that explicitly labels it as the “Archived” section.
Organized heading structure (H2, H3): Any organizational/navigational content within an archive section must be categorized using subheadings according to accessibility best practices.
Descriptive file names: File names for archived documents must be descriptive and include keywords like “Board Meeting Minutes” and dates to help users understand what they are downloading.
Accessible version requests: The banner and contact information must clearly provide information on how users can request accessible versions of archived content.