Please note, the below post will be of particular interest to those authors who publish in the United Kingdom.
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Last week, I received an email from The Agency for the Legal Deposit Libraries which begins,
“Dear Publisher,
On behalf of the Legal Deposit Libraries, these being the Bodleian Library Oxford University, The Cambridge University Library, National Library of Scotland, National Library of Wales and Trinity College Dublin and in accordance with the Legal Deposit Libraries Act 2003 or the Irish Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000, as appropriate, …”.
The email then goes on to request that I send 5 copies of “The Selected Poems of K Morris”, to the Agency for Legal Deposit, who will forward them on to the above named libraries.
Under the relevant UK legislation, a copy should also be sent to the British Library. However I had already provided my “Selected Poems” to the British Library shortly following it’s publication in August 2019, hence I am not required to resubmit my work to the BL.
I must confess to not having any (print) copies of my “Selected Poems” in stock (other than my own personal copy). I will, therefore need to order 5 copies from Amazon to comply with the above request. Being familiar with the regulations concerning Legal Deposit I ought, of course to have ensured that I kept 5 copies to one side in order to comply with the legislation and it is a lesson to me to do so in future!
Amazon operates a print on demand (POD) model, consequently it will be easy to re-order the requisite number of copies. I do, however wish that I had thought ahead and kept 5 copies aside!
(To read more about Legal Deposit please visit this link, https://www.legaldeposit.org.uk/.
The paperback edition of my “Selected Poems” can be found here, https://www.amazon.co.uk/Selected-Poems-K-Morris/dp/1688049800/
K Morris - Poet 
Thanks for reminding us, Kevin.
i’ll reblog later from my pc. It’s more reliable than my iPad.
(Good job I checked that. Autocorrect changed reliable to relaxing!)
I’m pleased you found my post helpful, Vivienne. And thank you in advance for the kind reblog. Have a reliable (sorry I mean Relaxing)! Sunday. All the best. Kevin
I always just send out mine – both to the British library and the legal deposit office – via Amazon. Saves me having the copies come to me just for me to then send them on. Though I confess I haven’t sent out my most recent release to either of them yet.
That is a good idea, Tori, having sent direct from Amazon to the libraries. Best wishes. Kevin
I’ve done the BL – Is the ALDL mandatory as well. I have to say, it’s not well known this is a thing, I found out via the grapevine, which I suspect how most people discover it
Thank you for your comment. When a book is published in the UK, one copy must be sent to the British Library. In addition, 5 other UK libraries may request a copy. Whilst I am not aware of any civil penalties being imposed on those who fail to comply with such requests, it is my understanding that it is a legal obligation to provide publications to the libraries in questions. I hope this helps. Kevin
Thanks. I’ve done the BL. 🙂
You are welcome. Good luck with your books. All the best. Kevin