Archived Websites of Governors Pataki and Spitzer
The State Archives and the State Library are pleased to make copies of the sites maintained by Governor Pataki and Governor Spitzer accessible to the public.
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 researchers.
The site maintained by the Office of the Governor (www.ny.gov/governor) exemplifies both the speed with which sites can change and the importance of preserving older materials that are no longer part of the live site:
- On January 1, 2007, Governor Spitzer’s staff removed all files relating to Governor Pataki and began replacing them with files concerning Governor Spitzer.
- On March 17, 2008, Governor Paterson’s staff began planning the gradual removal of all files relating to Governor Spitzer and started adding material relating to Governor Paterson.
- When Governor Paterson’s successor takes office, Executive Chamber staff will likely replace all files relating to Governor Paterson with information concerning the new governor.
Archived Governors’ Websites:
When you visit these archived sites, keep in mind that some types of site content cannot be archived properly:
- External hyperlinks (i.e., links to content on sites other than www.ny.gov/governor)
- Information that can be accessed only after the user completes a form
- Most audiovisual materials
- Some advanced Web formatting and design elements (i.e., external stylesheets and some types of Javascript)
Additional access problems specific to each site are noted below.
- First governor to have a website.
- Contains public biographical information, text copies of speeches, select executive orders and other documents, photographs, and other material documenting Governor Pataki’s actions and policies.
- State Archives and State Library captured this site on December 23, 2006.
- Known access problems:
- Some hyperlinks on this site, including the main navigational links that appear on the left side of each page, become hard to view after the cursor passes over them; however, the links do work.
- None of the links to audio or video content work.
- Clicking on the “Press Releases” link will direct you to the live Office of the Governor site. For access to paper and electronic files of Pataki-era press releases, contact the State Archives.
- You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader 7.0 or higher to access PDF files included in this site.
- Contains public biographical information, text copies of speeches, select executive orders and other documents, photographs, and other material documenting Governor Spitzer’s actions and policies.
- State Archives and State Library captured this site on March 16, 2008, the day before Governor Spitzer’s resignation took effect.
- Known access problems:
- Some hyperlinks on this site, including the main navigational links that appear on the left side of each page, become hard to view after the cursor passes over them; despite this problem, the links do work.
- Many links to audio and video content do not work; depending upon your computer’s multimedia software and security settings, you may be able to access some audio content.
- Links to the sections of the site concerning First Lady Silda Wall Spitzer and Lieutenant Governor David A. Paterson do not work. However, press releases issued by and photographs of the First Lady and the Lieutenant Governor are mingled with those of the Governor, and can be accessed through the main “Press Releases” and “Photo Gallery” links that appear to the left of the page.
- You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader 7.0 or higher to access PDF files included in this site.
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 the Office of the Governor site and other State government sites.
More information:
The State Archives and the State Library hold additional materials relating to Governors Pataki and Spitzer. The State Archives holds paper and electronic copies of Governor Pataki’s press releases, Governor Spitzer’s correspondence and subject files, and records documenting Governor Spitzer’s tenure as Attorney General (1999-2006). The State Library holds published copies of important gubernatorial speeches and a wide array of published reports issued by the Office of the Governor, commissions created by Governors Pataki and Spitzer, and the Office of the Attorney General. For additional information, contact:
New York State Archives
Reference Services
archref@mail.nysed.gov
(518) 474-8955
New York State Library
Reference Services
http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/refserv.htm (online reference request form)
(518) 474-5355