About the Calisphere/OAC "Contact" forms

When users navigate throughout Calisphere and OAC, they may come across a couple of “contact” methods:

  • Contact the contributor: From a specific collection or item record, users are encouraged to contact the “owner” or “contributing institution.” This method is available so users can directly reach out to the contributor for inquiries related to facilitating access, re-use and duplication requests, obtaining a web accessible version of the digital item, or any further inquiry about the collection or item record.
  • “Contact Us” pages: The websites include a general “Contact” page in which users may submit inquiries for contributing institutions that are related to facilitating access, re-use and duplication requests, or any further inquiry about the collection or item record. When receiving these types of inquiries, we will acknowledge receipt of their message and refer the user to contact the contributing institution.
    They may also submit any information regarding errors, as well as suggestions or feedback to help improve the site. For these types of inquiries, we will provide a response and follow up on these messages accordingly as described in the process outlined below.
  • “Accessibility” page: The websites also include an “Accessibility” page, in which users may submit inquiries about the accessibility of the websites and/or content available through the websites. When receiving inquiries specifically related to obtaining a web accessible version of a digital item, we will follow the process outlined below to communicate that information with contributors.

Examples of User Inquiries and Feedback with Contributors

We occasionally receive feedback from users via the Calisphere and OAC "Contact" pages, offering additional information about published items, description, or metadata. Examples include:

  • Providing additional information that surfaces or clarifies the historical context of the item; 
  • Reporting an error in the metadata; 
  • Identifying an item that should not be online due to legal, ethical, or other considerations; 
  • Sharing information on an item's copyright status; 
  • Providing any additional information that will help us better understand and interpret these items.

We'll take an active approach to ensure that our contributing partners are also informed of these inquiries. We will relay this information to the designated key contacts at the contributing institutions in a timely manner, and confer on a potential response and strategy.

Sharing User Inquiries and Feedback with Contributors

The outline below is suggested to help navigate the communication and workflow, but we intend to be flexible depending on the type of inquiry or feedback, as well as to the operations and resources at our partner organizations:

1. Once a user submits an inquiry or feedback through the “Contact” form on Calisphere or OAC:

  1. CDL will acknowledge receipt of the message.
  2. CDL will forward the message to the contributor.
  3. CDL and the contributor will confer on this information and:
    • Formulate a strategy: to update the item record/description, remove the item record and description, or leave the item record/description published as is.
    • Determine who will provide an update to the user.

2. With an identified strategy, the following steps will be taken as needed:

  • If updating the item record and/or description:
    1. CDL and/or the contributor provides an update to the user.
    2. Contributor updates the record(s).
    3. CDL re-harvests as needed.
    4. CDL and/or the contributor updates the user when the update is complete.
    5. DPLA will pick up the change during the next scheduled harvest.
  • If removing the item record and description:
    1. CDL and/or the contributor provides an update to the user.
    2. Contributor removes (or restricts) the record from their public DAMS.
    3. CDL removes the record from Calisphere.
    4. CDL sends a request to DPLA to delete the record from DPLA.
    5. CDL submits a removal request to Google. (Request to remove the page from appearing in Google Search.)
    6. CDL and/or the contributor updates the user when the removal is complete.
  • If retaining the item record/description published as is:
    1. CDL and/or the contributor provides a brief explanation to the user.

Note on other types of contact form submissions

Our contact forms may receive submissions that neither help improve our services nor the information provided in the resources. Some examples include phishing inquiries, spam emails, or messages generated by bots. Another example includes messages that do not offer productive feedback or information, and are combative, disruptive, or otherwise upsetting in nature (e.g., “internet trolling"). We will not engage with these inquiries; additionally, we will not forward these messages to contributing partners.