Takedown position statement
State Library Victoria complies with the Copyright Act 1968 and has endorsed the National and State Libraries Australia position statement on takedown requests.
The Library follows the following general principles:
- the broadest possible online access to collection materials will be provided.
- permanent access restrictions, deindexing or takedown will be considered as an exceptional response.
- requests for access restrictions, deindexing or takedown will take into account the relationship of the requestor to the material.
- requests for access restrictions, deindexing or takedown will take into account specific jurisdictional legislation and related exemptions.
- access restrictions or takedown of material made available online should, as far as practical, be openly acknowledged with a statement noting the takedown.
- as circumstances change, or after a period of time, online material that has been taken down, restricted or deindexed should be reviewed and may be reinstated.
Who can make a request
Takedown Requests can be made by any person or entity who believes that material hosted on a Library website should be removed. In the case of infringement of copyright, the request must be made by a person, entity or their representative whose infringement has been breached.
Making a Takedown Request
If you have such concerns about online material provided by the Library, please contact us in writing providing the following:
- your contact details
- full description and details of the material
- full URL of where you found the material
- if the request relates to copyright, provide proof that you are the rights holder and a statement that you are the rights holder or an authorised representative
- the reason for your request, including but not limited to copyright law, privacy laws, data protection, obscenity, defamation, etc.
Takedown requests must be sent to: copyright@slv.vic.gov.au.
What the Library will do
The Library will acknowledge your takedown request in writing and will make an initial assessment of the request. Access to the online material may be temporarily removed until further investigation takes place.
All possible efforts will be made to resolve takedown requests quickly and to the satisfaction of both parties.
The Applicant will be updated of the progress of their request. Queries about the progress of a request should be directed to copyright@slv.vic.gov.au unless advised otherwise.
Ongoing access to collection material
Access to collection material that has been removed, blocked or deindexed online may remain accessible onsite.
Ongoing review of takedown decisions
Takedown decisions will be reviewed as a matter of course. Where the circumstances of the original takedown request have changed over time, this may result in the reinstatement of collection material online.