Thanks to the initial shrewdness of our founder, Sir Thomas Bodley, a requirement for English, later UK, publishers to deposit a free copy of each of their publications to certain designated Copyright Libraries has existed for over 300 years (Summary of historical background is available from another Bodleian website.)
Now this fine tradition has to adapt to a world where e-publishing is increasingly becoming the norm. In fact the UK parliament has already set down the new rules for the new regime – Legal Deposit Libraries Act 2003 and Legal Deposit Libraries (Non-Print Works) Regulations 2013 – and the new system was born on 6 April 2013. For fanfare see Saving the nation’s digital memory
SOLO, our search tool for our online catalogue, is now geared up – the observant will notice an extra tab called Electronic Legal Deposit. This will become an increasing useful search screen as content of the underlying collection grows, BUT it only links through to the source if you are searching SOLO via a Library Computer in a Bodleian Reading Room. There is a Bodleian LibGuide to help you understand the new resource and all Reading Room Staff are receiving training. (I am sure you will be patient – we are all learning about it together!)
Sir Thomas Bodley, National Portrait Gallery NPG D25545
