Legal Deposit?
Legal Deposit is the means by which a comprehensive national collection is gathered together as a record of the nations published heritage and development. It is enforceable by law and requires producers of published documents to deposit, with one or more specified agencies, copies of publications of all kinds, produced within the country, in any medium and by any process for public distribution, lease or sale.
Legal Deposit Act
In 2002, the Legal Deposit Act was passed and the National Library of Jamaica was designated the principal legal depository. It came into operation on the 11th day of October, 2004.
See the Jamaica Gazette Supplement: Proclamations, rules and regulations vol. CXXV II September 10, 2004
Eligible Depositor
Any person resident in Jamaica who by himself or in association with others, produces any document and publishes it in Jamaica.
Building a record of Jamaica’s published heritage and development
What’s the process like?
The NLJ welcomes the deposit of works here at our office and allows for a photo opportunity with your items. With current COVID-19 restrictions, we recommend that depositors schedule the drop-off of their deposits.
Who should deposit?
Any person resident in Jamaica who by himself or in association with others, produces any document and publishes it in Jamaica.
What type of materials are to be deposited?
In accordance to the Legal Deposit Act, the NLJ accepts “… library matter of any kind, nature and description and includes any document, paper, record, tape or other thing published by a national publisher.”
How many copies are to be deposited?
We accept two (2) copies of printed document and
only one (1) copy of audiovisual materials
LEGAL DEPOSIT SCHEDULER
Click the button below to download the legal deposit form
LEGAL DEPOSITS
The Legal Deposit system was first implemented in 1537. King Francois I of France issued a royal decree forbidding the sale of any book unless a copy was first deposited in the library at his castle.
The Books (Preservation and Registration of Copies) Act was repealed when the Legal Deposit Act was passed in 2002.
Every national publisher should, within one month of the publication of any document which he/she publishes in Jamaica, deposit in the legal depository the number of copies specified.
Any national publisher who fails to comply with the regulations of the Act, commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction before a Resident Magistrate to a fine not exceeding fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00).