Electronic Legal Deposit (UK)

User Access to the Electronic Legal Deposit (UK) Archive

On 6 April 2013, new UK Legal Deposit regulations came into force, which allow for the historic expansion of the role of the UK Legal Deposit Libraries including Trinity College Library Dublin. For the first time, the UK Legal Deposit Libraries are empowered to capture, archive and provide access to the UK’s electronic published output. Working in partnership with publishers, the UK Legal Deposit Libraries will ensure that the publishers’ commercial interests are not prejudiced and that their copyright ownership is respected.

This development will further enhance the Legal Deposit collections available in Trinity College Library Dublin. Since 1801, materials received under Legal Deposit have been used extensively to support research, teaching and learning activities in Trinity College Dublin.

Trinity College Library Dublin will be referring to this new material as the electronic Legal Deposit (UK) archive or eLD (UK).

Access to the eLD (UK) archive is now available via a dedicated PC in the following reading rooms:

A user guide (PDF 1.15MB) to accessing this content, together with a list of journals included in the collection (PDF 211KB), are now available. Please note, that we are working towards providing access to the eLD (UK) archive in the John Stearne Medical Library during the week of 22 April 2013. Updates will be made available on this webpage.

What is United Kingdom Legal Deposit?

Legal Deposit is the statutory obligation on publishers and distributors to deposit at least one copy of every publication, free of charge, in designated Legal Deposit libraries. Under United Kingdom legislation, a copy of every UK print publication must be given to the British Library by its publishers, and to five other major libraries (including Trinity College Library Dublin) that request it. This system has been a part of English law since 1662. Trinity College Library Dublin has been part of United Kingdom Legal Deposit since 1801, and it retained this privilege even after the setting up of the independent Irish state.

The United Kingdom Legal Deposit Libraries are:

• The British Library
• Trinity College Library Dublin
• The National Library of Scotland
• The National Library of Wales
• The Bodleian Libraries, Oxford
• Cambridge University Library

What is electronic Legal Deposit (UK)?

From 6 April 2013, UK Legal Deposit also covers material published digitally and online, so that the UK Legal Deposit Libraries can provide an archive of the UK’s non-print published material, such as websites, blogs, e-journals, e-books and CD-ROMs. This extension of UK Legal Deposit is known as electronic Legal Deposit (UK), or as eLD (UK).

What happens on 6 April 2013?

From 6 April 2013, under the Legal Deposit Libraries (Non-Print Works) Regulations 2013 (UK), the UK Legal Deposit Libraries are entitled to harvest content from UK published material on UK websites, and to collect UK published e-journals, e-books and other types of non-print publications, both online and offline (e.g., CD-ROMs).

What is excluded from the legislation?

Social media content, such as from Twitter and Facebook, is part of the legislation and therefore can be collected by the Legal Deposit libraries. Private messages in Twitter and Facebook, however, are excluded and so will not be collected. In addition, the content of pure video streaming sites, such as YouTube, also falls outside the legislation.

What will be available to Readers in Trinity College Library Dublin after the regulations come into force?

Initially, the content available will be limited in scope, but the collection will grow year on year. A demonstration collection of 26500 e-journal articles from a number of publishers is available to access in the Trinity College Library Reading Rooms. Readers will be able to access the e-journal articles in PDF form.

How can I access the eLD (UK) demonstration collection?

Access to the eLD (UK) demonstration collection is provided via dedicated PCs in the Reading Rooms of Trinity College Library Dublin.  The content is only accessible from these PCs.

The dedicated PCs are now installed in the Iveagh Hall (BLU Libraries) and the Hamilton Library. During the week beginning 22 April, a dedicated PC will be installed in the John Stearne Medical Library.

Can I view this content on my own laptop, in my College office or at home?

The regulations only permit access on dedicated PCs within the Library’s Reading Rooms. Access is not available in your College office, at home, or via laptops in the Library’s Reading Rooms.

How many articles can I access in a day?

There is no limit to the number of electronic Legal Deposit items you can access in a day.

I want to look at a particular article, but I’m told that it’s already in use. When will it be available for me to see?

In accordance with the eLD (UK) regulations, only one person at a time can view each item, and there’s no time limit set (within a day) for how long an item can be consulted. Once the person using it has finished, and closes down the item, it will become available, within a couple of minutes, for another reader to consult.

Can I make a reservation for an electronic Legal Deposit item in order to ensure that it is available when I come in to view it?

It is not possible to place a reservation on an electronic Legal Deposit item. Items within the eLD (UK) archive will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. The Library will monitor readers’ satisfaction with the service, and review the policy accordingly.

I want a record of what I’ve seen. Will I be able to add these items to My Book Cart?

Unfortunately it is not possible to add eLD items to "My Book Cart". You will need to take a note of the electronic item you have viewed.

Can I print articles of interest?

Initially, no printing facilities will be available. We are currently working on a technical solution with Datapac to allow printing. Our aim is to have printing available by the end of May 2013.

Can I save this article to a memory stick or copy-and-paste it or photograph the screen?

In accordance with the eLD (UK) regulations, no digital copying is permissible for the material contained within the electronic Legal Deposit (UK) archive. Readers cannot:

• Copy and paste content
• Download content
• Save content
• Take a photograph of the screen content

Where else can I view this information?

The eLD (UK) archive is available to access on the premises of all six UK Legal Deposit Libraries. The other UK Legal Deposit Libraries are the British Library, the National Library of Wales, the National Library of Scotland, Oxford University Library, and Cambridge University Library. You will need to contact them regarding their membership policy and terms of use.

If I need further help, who should I contact?

You should speak to the Duty Librarian in the Iveagh Hall, Berkeley Library or in the Hamilton Library, or e-mail the Duty Librarian. As the service develops, Trinity College Library Dublin will continue to make more information available to our readers.