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Copies must be given to library

Lucy Jarvis, North Coast TimesNorth Coast Times

The Legal Deposit Act 2012 has come into effect, requiring all organisations and individuals producing material for the public to provide copies to the State Library.

Culture and the Arts Minister John Day said the law would safeguard the State’s published heritage for future generations.

‘Important documents that shape our social and cultural fabric are distributed into the public domain every day,’ he said.

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‘It is vitally important to keep records to ensure future generations have an avenue to accurately look back in time.

‘Legal deposit compliance will be required by all commercial organisations, government agencies, community groups and private individuals who produce works for the public.’

Formats include print, sound, film or data produced as printed books, journals, maps, images, music and film on USBs, CDs and DVDs.

WA was the first State in Australia to adopt the approach to preserving publications, and Mr Day said the Act resulted from considerable consultation with publishers, librarians, researchers and educators, as well as the music, film, history and writing communities.

Examples already provided to the library include Lancelin: Western Australia’s Coastal Gem by Kym Illman.

For more information, visit www.slwa.wa.gov.au