Observations on the development of non‐print legal deposit in the UK

Abstract

PurposeThe process of developing and implementing UK legislation for the legal deposit of electronic and other non‐print publications has been lengthy and remains incomplete, although the Government has consulted on draft regulations for implementation in 2013. The purpose of this paper is to provide a short account of progress and review the experience, analysing several factors that have influenced the legislative process and helped shape the proposed regulations. It summarises the regulatory and non‐regulatory steps taken by the UK legal deposit libraries to address the legitimate concerns of publishers and describes some of the practical implications of implementing legal deposit for non‐print publications.Design/methodology/approachThe paper draws upon the personal experiences of the authors, who have been directly involved in the legislative process and negotiations with publishers and other stakeholders.FindingsThe paper provides new information and a summary of key issues and outcomes, with explanations and some insights into the factors that have influenced them.Originality/valueThis paper provides new information about the development of legal deposit in the UK and a review of the issues that have affected its progress.