---
title: Download and Cite Items
description: How visitors download available files, understand rights, and cite items from a Preservated archive.
section: basics
order: 3
updated: 2026-06-14
verified: 2026-06-14
related: [basics/searching-and-browsing]
features: []
---

# Download and Cite Items

You'll learn what download options mean and how to credit or cite an item responsibly.

Each institution decides what visitors can download. Availability depends on the file format, item visibility, rights metadata, and institutional policy.

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     Capture: Public artifact page or download page showing download options, rights statement, and citation/credit area,
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## Open the download page

If downloads are available, use the download button on the item page. The options depend on the item:

- Images may offer different sizes or web formats.
- Documents may offer the original file, rendered PDF, page images, or text.
- Audio may offer the original or an MP3.
- Video may offer the original, web-quality video, or audio-only MP3.
- Transcripts may offer TXT, SRT, or VTT files.

Some options may need to be prepared before the file is ready.

## Understand restrictions

An item can be public to view but still restricted for download. This often happens when rights are uncertain, copyright is active, or the institution wants visitors to request permission first.

If the original file is not available, a web-size or text-only download may still be offered. If no download is available, use the citation and contact the institution for access questions.

## Credit the institution

Look for the credit line, rights statement, license, and identifier on the item page. A good credit usually includes:

- Item title.
- Creator, if known.
- Institution name.
- Collection name, if shown.
- Identifier or accession number.
- URL to the item page.

## Cite what you used

For research, cite the item page rather than only the downloaded file. The page contains context, rights information, and stable metadata that may not be embedded in the file.

:::tip
When in doubt, include the item URL and the date you accessed it. Online collection records can improve over time as institutions add corrections and context.
:::