Send Them Your Books - It's the Law • Lynne Garner

Getting ready to post

Did you know if you publish a book (or other printed materials - click here to find out what) in the UK you must send a copy to the British Library, free of charge? This is called 'legal deposit' and it's been law since 1662. Since 2013, the legal deposit regulations were expanded to include digital content, as well as print publications.

You not only have to send a copy to the British Library but a copy may also be requested free of charge by a further five legal deposit libraries. These libraries are:

National Library of Wales
National Library of Scotland
Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
Cambridge University Library
Trinity College Library, Dublin

There are benefits to the publisher and author depositing books in this way, which include:

The book becomes part our national heritage
Publications are added to the online catalogues, which can be researched by anyone
Most books are listed in the British National Bibliography (BNB), which libraries and trade use to order their stock

So you don't have to research where to send your book/s here's the address for the British Library:

Legal Deposit Office

The British Library

Boston Spa

Wetherby

West Yorkshire

LS23 7BY

Thankfully you don't have to send the other five books individually you can send them to the Agency for the Legal Deposit Libraries, who operate on behalf of the five libraries listed above. Their address is:

Agency for the Legal Deposit Libraries

161 Causewayside

Edinburgh

EH9 1PH

And if you ever have any questions related to this subject I've found the staff of the British Library and the Agency for the Legal Deposit Libraries extremely helpful.

Regards

Lynne