Featherstone 
Legal deposit of your book: Australia’s world-leading book deposit scheme NED celebrates 5 years
How does Australia ensure that ‘a comprehensive collection of published material relating to Australia and its people is preserved for the community and future generations.’?
Thanks to the Copyright Act of 1968, legislation was introduced that by law requires all publishers in Australia–including self-published authors–to deposit a copy of their publications within 1-2 months of publication with the National Library of Australia, as well as the state or territory where you are based.
In the not-so-distant past it meant publishers and indie authors sent print copies of our books, leading to associated costs including the printing of the book and postage. But 5 years ago, a world-leading scheme called the National edeposit scheme (NED) was introduced nationally.
Recently publishers, authors, state librarians and representatives of the Australian Society of Authors gathered at the ‘Friends Room’ at the State Library of NSW to celebrate 5 years of NED. Such a gorgeous room and great conversation—and so much love for books and authors!
Lucy Hayward, CEO, Australian Society of Authors, marked the event with an important and engaging speech recognising the scheme, an extract is included here with her permission:
‘We live in a time where books are more disposable than ever. Since Allen Lane placed a penguin on a book spine in 1935 and launched the paperback age, books have become physically more fragile. New paper, bindings and glues make books cheaper to produce, but shortened attention spans, three-month frontlist window, and the demise of the personal library – thanks Marie Kondo – make them easier to forget.
Yet NED—and legal deposit more broadly—ensures that books are not lost to time. It offers every book the chance of a third, fourth, or fifth life, even if its moment of recognition comes decades later.
Legal deposit allows researchers, far removed from a book’s initial publication, to rediscover and reanimate it for new readers.
This is why NED matters. It preserves our collective imagination, our shared history, and the stories we tell ourselves about who we are.’
I love that through this scheme, the books I wrote years ago may be rediscovered decades from now, that I can delve into other peoples’ stories from the past and that hopefully, future people can learn, marvel and shake their heads from our mistakes. imagination and triumphs.
NED is not just a chant of ‘Long live books!’, it’s an extraordinary framework created by great librarians. to ensure that they do.
If you are publishing a book or recently published one, you can find out more about NED here.
All the steps you need to take when publishing a book are also laid out in easy to understand detail in Look-it’s Your Book!’ which is available at your local library, bookseller, or direct from me.
And a final hot tip…when in Sydney, be sure to visit the State Library of NSW and enjoy a mocktail or cocktail up at the Library Bar. It’s gorgeous!