Terms of Use

Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using the Homeland Security Digital Library (HSDL), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Use. If you do not agree to these terms, you should not use the service.

These terms apply to all users, including visitors who browse without an account and registered users with authenticated access to the full collection.

Description of Service

HSDL is a research resource maintained by the Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS) at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's National Preparedness Directorate, FEMA.

The service provides:

• Access to over 250,000 curated documents related to homeland security policy, strategy, and organizational management
• Full-text and metadata search across the collection
• AI-assisted conversational research tools
• Curated collections and topical resource guides
• Reference assistance through the Ask a Librarian service

User Accounts

Certain features require a registered account. When creating an account, you agree to:

• Provide accurate and complete registration information
• Maintain the security of your account credentials
• Promptly notify HSDL of any unauthorized use of your account
• Accept responsibility for all activity that occurs under your account

You must be at least 18 years old, or the age of majority in your jurisdiction, to create an account. Accounts are non-transferable and may not be shared with other individuals.

Acceptable Use

HSDL is intended for the following purposes:

• Research — Academic and professional research related to homeland security topics
• Education — Teaching, coursework, and training in homeland security disciplines
• Government — Policy development, strategic planning, and operational support by government personnel
• Personal reference — Individual learning and professional development

Users are expected to cite HSDL resources appropriately when referencing them in publications, reports, or presentations.

Prohibited Conduct

You agree not to:

• Scrape or harvest — Use automated tools, bots, or scripts to systematically download, index, or extract content from HSDL
• Redistribute — Republish, mirror, or commercially distribute HSDL content or metadata without authorization
• Misrepresent — Present HSDL content as your own work, or impersonate HSDL or its affiliates
• Circumvent access controls — Attempt to bypass authentication, access restricted content without authorization, or share credentials
• Disrupt the service — Introduce malware, conduct denial-of-service attacks, or otherwise interfere with HSDL operations
• Violate laws — Use the service for any purpose that violates applicable federal, state, or local laws

Violations may result in account suspension, termination, and referral to appropriate authorities.

Intellectual Property

The HSDL collection contains a mix of content with different intellectual property statuses:

• U.S. Government works — Documents produced by federal government employees in the course of their duties are generally in the public domain and not subject to copyright within the United States
• Third-party content — Some materials in the collection are authored by non-government entities and may be protected by copyright. Use of these materials is subject to applicable copyright law and fair use provisions
• HSDL platform — The HSDL website design, search tools, and original content created by HSDL staff are proprietary to NPS/CHDS

When citing HSDL resources, please include the document title, author, publication date, and the HSDL URL or document identifier.

Restricted Collection Access

Portions of the HSDL collection contain Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) or For Official Use Only (FOUO) materials. Users granted access to restricted content agree to:

• Handle CUI/FOUO materials in accordance with federal guidelines and marking requirements
• Not share restricted documents with unauthorized individuals
• Store downloaded restricted materials securely and delete them when no longer needed
• Report any suspected unauthorized disclosure of restricted materials to HSDL

Access tier determinations are based on your organizational affiliation and role. HSDL reserves the right to modify access levels at any time.

Disclaimer of Warranties

HSDL is provided on an "as-is" and "as-available" basis. The Naval Postgraduate School, CHDS, the Department of Homeland Security, and FEMA make no warranties, express or implied, regarding:

• The accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the content in the collection
• The uninterrupted or error-free operation of the service
• The fitness of the service for any particular purpose
• The absence of viruses or other harmful components

Documents in the collection represent the views of their respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Government, DHS, or NPS.

Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Naval Postgraduate School, CHDS, DHS, FEMA, and their officers, employees, and agents shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages arising from:

• Your use of or inability to use the service
• Any errors, inaccuracies, or omissions in the content
• Unauthorized access to or alteration of your data
• Any third-party conduct on the service

Governing Law

These Terms of Use are governed by the laws of the United States. Any disputes arising from these terms or your use of HSDL shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the federal courts.

If any provision of these terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect.

Changes to These Terms

HSDL reserves the right to modify these Terms of Use at any time. When we make changes, we will:

• Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page
• Post a notice on the HSDL homepage for material changes
• Require re-acceptance of updated terms upon next login for significant modifications

Continued use of the service after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.

Contact Information

If you have questions about these Terms of Use, please contact us: