Building a record of Jamaica’s published heritage and development

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.

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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

Legal Deposit Act

Legal Deposit Regulation

Eligible Depositor

Any person resident in Jamaica who by himself or in association with others, produces any document and publishes it in Jamaica.

LEGAL DEPOSIT SCHEDULER

Click the button below to download the legal deposit form

Legal Deposit Scheduler

Schedule to visit our office to make your Legal Deposit. All fields required in the form

Title of item being deposited *

As stated on title page / label etc.

Date of Publication *

Date & time for Deposit *

Date

Time

Indicate your preferred date and time e.g. Dec. 5, 2020 - 10:00 am. You will receive a confirmation from our Legal Deposit team.

Format of Item *

Print - Paperback
Print - Hardcover
Electronic file
Optical Media (CD, DVD etc.)

Cost of Item (Market) *

The current cost of the item as listed on shelves / website. JA$1,200,00 USD$34.00

Name of Registered Publisher *

Jessica's Jones Media

Publisher's Name *

First

Last

Jessica Kingstone

Publisher's Address *

Should be a Jamaican Address

Email *

Declaration, Grants and Warranties by National Publisher: *

I have read and agree to the term of the Legal Deposit Act (2004)

1. I declare that I am a national publisher in accordance with the provisions of the Legal Deposit Act, 2004 2. I hereby grant to the Legal Depository permission to: (i) copy (including download), reformat and refresh for preservation and documentation purposes, the document: (ii) permit members of the public access to the document pursuant to sections 61 to 65 of the Copyright Act and the Copyright (Librarians and Archivists) (Copying of Copyright Material) Regulations, 1993. 3. I hereby warrant that I have the legal authority to grant to the Legal Depository the permission granted under paragraph 2, and that I will indemnify and hold the Legal Depository harmless against any and all third party claims in respect of the Legal Depository’s dealings with the document deposited.

Download Legal Deposit Form

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 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).