Endangered Data Week highlights the urgent need to protect public records. Our ongoing collaboration with the Digital Index of North American Archaeology (DINAA) project provides a specific example of why public records matter. Before we discuss DINAA in detail, first we need to provide some context. The United States has enacted a variety of laws and policies that govern access to public records and the historical and cultural heritage of our Nation. The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, which begins with “The preservation of our heritage is in the public interest… as a living part of our community life, in order to give a sense of orientation to the American people,” represents one of the key pieces of legislation protecting archaeological and historical heritage in the US.
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