Frequently Asked Questions

Can my institution’s collection be added to CNDHI?

We eagerly welcome suggestions of collections that meet our inclusion criteria, defined as follows:

Digitized – The collection must consist of media that have been digitized; researchers must be able to see and/or hear the media, not simply read about them.

Canadian – A significant proportion of the media in the collection must relate to Canada.

Heritage – The collection must contain media that could reasonably be used as primary sources for the study of Canadian heritage.

Collections – The media must be grouped together into an online collection in such a way that the media are accessible in a relatively systematic manner.

Access – The collection must be openly available to access.

What types of media can be found in collections indexed in CNDHI?

Currently, the media in the collections indexed in CNDHI fall into one of these categories: 

• Video recordings
• Audio recordings
• Images (including photographs)
• Born digital texts
• Manuscripts
• Publications

If your institution has a collection of media that does not match any of these media types, we would still be glad to consider including it in CNDHI.

How large does a collection need to be to be indexed in CNDHI?

In order to be indexed in CNDHI, a collection must include at least two objects.

Does CNDHI index online finding aids, catalogues, or archival guides?

Because finding aids, catalogues, and archival guides do not provide researchers with the ability to access source material directly, CNDHI does not index these types of materials.

Does CNDHI index collections of born-digital media?

In rare instances, collections of born-digital media may be included in CNDHI provided that they could clearly be used as primary sources for the study of Canadian heritage.

Does CNDHI index collections of media relating to countries other than Canada?

While all collections indexed in CNDHI relate to Canada, many of these collections also relate to other countries. For example, we include collections relating to immigrants to Canada, foreign relations of Canada, and Canadians’ involvement in other countries.
 

For a collection to be considered for CNDHI, the media themselves must have been produced by Canadians or about Canada. It is not sufficient for the collection to be housed in Canada or digitized by Canadians. We do not include collections solely relating to other countries.

Does CNDHI index collections of current scholarship?

Collections of current scholarship are not indexed in CNDHI, even if the subject of the collections is Canadian heritage. It is not the goal of CNDHI to duplicate the function of institutional repositories or journal databases. All collections indexed in CNDHI include media that are themselves usable as primary sources for studying Canadian heritage.

Does CNDHI index online exhibitions or virtual tours?

In order to be indexed in CNDHI, a collection must include media that is accessible online systematically . CNDHI does not normally index online exhibitions or virtual tours as these tend to arrange media as a supplement to informational or educational text that is the primary focus of the site. Exceptions are made for online exhibitions and virtual tours that additionally include media gallery pages. Please contact us directly at info@cndhi-ipnpc.ca to suggest an exhibition or virtual tour that includes media gallery pages.

My institution’s website has a searchable database of media from a variety of our collections. Can each of these collections be indexed individually in CNDHI?

In cases where media in a collection are accessible online only via a searchable database that includes media from multiple collections, each collection may be indexed individually in CNDHI only if there is a separate description page for each collection and each description page links to a list of search results limited to the media relevant to that description page. Otherwise, we will treat the searchable database as a single large collection and index it as a whole.

What happens after I submit my collection to CNDHI through the online collection form?

Once you submit your completed collection form online, you will receive an automated email confirming your submission. Submissions are processed in a timely manner. CRKN staff review all submissions and may use the contact details provided to reach out for additional information or to clarify details of a submission. Typically, accepted collections will appear in the index within two weeks of submission.

I am an individual with a self-curated digital heritage collection. Can I submit my collection to CNDHI?

Currently, we do not accept private collections for CNDHI.