In the UK, it’s every publisher’s obligation to send at least one copy of a published book, free of charge, to the British Library. This has been in English law for printed books and papers since 1662 (and for electronic publications since 2013).
Since then, five more libraries have been added to the list, making six deposit libraries in total – each of which require a copy of every new publication that is published in the UK.
There is no charge to submit the books to the deposit libraries, but obviously there is a cost in producing and sending the books.
Ok, so what do I need to do?
Six books need to be sent, one to each deposit library.
ONE copy of the book needs to go to:
Legal Deposit Office
The British Library
Boston Spa
Wetherby
West Yorkshire
LS23 7BY
The Agency for the Legal Deposit Libraries operates on behalf of the other five UK deposit libraries. So, FIVE copies go to:
Agency for the Legal Deposit Libraries
Unit 21 Marnin Way
Edinburgh
EH12 9GD
These five are then distributed, one each, to: The Bodleian Libraries, Cambridge University Library, the National Library of Scotland, the National Library of Wales, and the Library of Trinity College Dublin.
You will also need to include a cover letter, giving the title, ISBN and your contact information. You should then receive written confirmation of receipt, within a few weeks.
The Agency for the Legal Deposit for Libraries’ website has more info about submitting electronic publications.
The good news…
If you publish with us, we sort all this for you. Contact us for more info.
A great reminder and if, like me, you forget to put your book on deposit then they will contact you and ask for the copies. I am guessing that for Uk publications, they take their data from Neilsens. I make that assumption as i made an error on one of my entries and that same error (incorrect title) appeared on their request. Not sure what happens if you have published on KDP ect using a free ISBN – do Amazon make the neilsends entry against their own ISBN? Graham from Publishious.
The British Library seems to be essential, but the other five seem to be only if they formally request a copy within a year. This is the only place I’ve seen that suggests you MUST send to all six. Everywhere else says only the British Library is an essential place to send your book.