State Library needs your documents

• State Library to collect more of WA's important documents 

• All organisations and individuals producing material for the public must comply

• Most extensive legal deposit in Australia 

Organisations and individuals in Western Australia are now required to provide a copy of all publicly distributed materials to the State Library of WA.

Culture and the Arts Minister John Day said the Legal Deposit Act 2012 had been adopted to safeguard the State's published heritage for future generations. 

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

"Important documents that shape our social and cultural fabric are distributed into the public domain every day.  It is vitally important to keep records to ensure future generations have an avenue to accurately look back in time," Mr Day said.

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

The Minister said WA was the first State in Australia to adopt such a thorough approach to preserving publications.

"This Act puts the State at the forefront of record keeping and is the result of considerable consultation with publishers, librarians, researchers and educators, as well as the music, film, history and writing communities," he said.

Examples that have already been provided to the library include published works Grave of the Roti Men by Geoff Havel; Regency Rebel by Vincent Ball; Our Joe by John H. Barnes; and Lancelin: Western Australia's Coastal Gem by Kym Illman.

Fact File

• Legal deposit is a statutory provision obliging publishers to provide copies of their publications to libraries in the State in which they are published

• Further work is being undertaken to address internet and online publications

• More information at http://www.slwa.wa.gov.au 

Minister's office - 6552 6200