The acts stipulated that South African publishers must deposit one copy of every publication for which they are responsible, free of charge, with each of the five legal deposit libraries.

The Aim of Legal Deposit
Legal Deposit ensures that all South African publications are preserved for posterity.  The availability and survival of publications is of national importance in the education of present and future generations of South Africans.  The Legal Deposit collections provide the means for research into all aspects of South African life and culture, including the technical, scientific, artistic and commercial endeavours of the country.

Role of Legal Deposit Libraries
The Legal Deposit libraries are obliged to collect, catalogue and preserve all legal deposit material and make it available for study and research.

The South African Library, Cape Town has primary responsibility for preserving legal deposit material and consequently this material is only available for research on the library premises.

The State Library, Pretoria is the national centre for interlending.  Its legal deposit material is therefore available countrywide and overseas on inter-library loan.  The State Library also compiles and publishes the South African National Bibliography and administers the allocation of International Standard Book Numbers (ISBNs) and International Standard Serial Numbers (ISSNs) in South Africa.

Requirements of Legal Deposit
To provide for the preservation of the national documentary heritage through legal deposit of published documents;  to ensure the preservation and cataloguing of, and access to, published documents emanating from, or adapted for, South Africa;  to provide for access to government information;  to provide for a Legal Deposit Committee;  and to provide for matters connected therewith.

Legal Deposit extends not only to government and commercial publishers but also the publications of private individuals, churches, clubs, companies quoted on the stock exchange, societies, education institutions, organisations, etc.

These documents must be delivered to the legal deposit libraries within 14 days after the day of publication.

Copyright
Legal Deposit should not be confused with copyright, which provides for the protection of artistic and creative works.  The Copyright Act no.98 of 1978 prevents the exploitation for gain of the work and skills of others.  There are no formalities in South Africa for the acquisition of copyright;  provided a work meets certain conditions as set out in the Act, copyright exists automatically.

Legal Deposit Libraries

South African Library
Legal Deposit Section
P O Box 496, Cape Town 8000
Telephone: 021-246 320
Fax: 021-244 848
e-mail: macmahon@salib

State Library
Legal Deposit Section
P O Box 397, Pretoria 0001
Telephone: 012-321 8931
Fax: 012-325 5984
e-mail: hvdwalt@statelib.pwv.gov.za

Bloemfontein Public Library
Legal Deposit Section
P O Box 1029, Bloemfontein 9300
Telephone: 051-405 8248
Fax: 051-405 8604
e-mail: pat@dux.bfncouncil.co.za

Natal Society Library
Legal Deposit Section
P O Box 415, Pietermaritzburg 3200
Telephone: 033-345 2383
Fax: 033-394 0095
e-mail: nsl@futurenet.co.za

Library of Parliament
Legal Deposit Section
P O Box 18, Cape Town 8000
Telephone: 021-403 2140
Fax: 021-461 4331
e-mail: parlib@iafrica.com

National Film, Video and Sound Archives
Legal Deposit Section
Private Bag X236, Pretoria 0001

Legal Deposit Library

The Legal Deposit Library has the following to offer:

• Information produced by and about the South African government

• South African journals

• Legal books and pamphlets

• South African trade and commercial directories

• Information produced by organisations such as:
  
  -  Statistics SA
  -  CSIR
  -  HSRC
  -  Bureau for Marketing Research
  -  SA Institute for Race Relations

Government Publications

Parliamentary publications held in the Legal Deposit Collection include:

• Hansards - Parliamentary Debates

• Bills

• Acts

• Gazettes - national and provincial

• Auditor General's Reports

• Commission and Committee Reports

• White Papers

• Reports presented to Parliament

• Statistical information
  
  -  Census
  -  Births/Deaths/Marriages
  -  Agriculture and industry
  -  Crime, etc.

• Maps
  
  -  Geodetic surveying
  -  Cadastral surveying
  -  Topographical surveying
  

Statistics

Other than the Census, Statistics SA produces information on a wide range of specific subjects such as:

• Demographic statistics

• Labour statistics

• Manufacturing

• Inflation

• Production Price Index

• Consumer Price Index

• Public finance

• Services, e.g. hospitals, etc.

These statistics are a primary source of information for economic, social and historical research.