The following is an extract of the Libraries Act 1988 (section 49) setting out the requirements of Victorian publishers to lodge one copy of every publication with the Library.
1. A good copy of the whole of every new publication published in Victoria, other than a prescribed publication, must be deposited by or on behalf of the publisher in accordance with directions of the Library Board of Victoria at a place or with a person determined by the Board within two months after the day on which the publication was first published.
2. For the purposes of sub-section 1, a new publication includes:
a) a publication published for the first time; and
b) revised, corrected, enlarged and abridged editions and other editions differing in content from the original publication; and
c) different forms or formats of publications; and reprints of publications.
3. A copy of a publication which must be deposited under sub-section 1 must be delivered at the expense of the publisher and be clearly marked ‘Legal Deposit Copy'.
4. The Chief Executive Officer must acknowledge receipt of a publication deposited under sub-section 1 within 14 days of delivery by notice in writing to the publisher or depositor.
5. Acknowledgement under sub-section 4 is not necessary in respect of any numbered serial publication other than the first issue of the publication deposited.
6. A publication deposited under this section must include any containers, wrapping material, notices, instructions or other material generally accompanying the publication.
7. The Chief Executive Officer or other officer authorised by the Board may recover in a court of competent jurisdiction as a debt due to the Board from a publisher who neglects to deposit a publication as required by this section:
a) the value of the publication which ought to have been deposited; and
b) a sum not exceeding $200; and
c) costs.
The Act defines 'Publication' as follows:
'Publication' includes the whole or any part of:
a) any printed book, periodical, newspaper, pamphlet, musical score, map, chart, plan, picture, photograph, print and any other printed matter; and
b) any film (including a microfilm and a microfiche), negative, tape, disc, sound track and any other device in which one or more visual images, sounds or other data are embodied so as to be capable (with or without the aid of some other equipment) of being reproduced from it.
