26 September 2023

Libraries turn the page on digital

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Australia’s State, Commonwealth and Territory libraries have joined forces to build a national digital collection and create a world-first eDeposit (NED) service for publishers.

Announcing the initiative, the Chair of National and State Libraries Australia and Chief Executive of State Library Victoria, Kate Torney said that for more than 100 years publishers had been legally required to deposit published works in Australian libraries.

“With the creation of NED, Australian libraries now have the digital infrastructure to preserve Australia’s documentary heritage for future generations in the same way they always have for print,” Ms Torney said.

“NED builds on a long history of collaboration between the national, State and Territory libraries of Australia which benefits all library users,” she said.

“This world-first national eDeposit system highlights Australia’s library sector as a global leader, and sets a wonderful precedent for future projects.”

She said Australian publications in electronic form would be captured and made available through NED.

“Book-lovers, researchers and curious minds can find Australian literary works alongside everything from the Government’s Australian Antarctic Strategy to newsletters, fanzines and community publications like Radio-gram: News From the Perth Vintage Wireless and Gramophone Club,” Ms Torney said.

“NED provides more equitable access to Australian publications while protecting the commercial interests of authors and publishers.”

She said publishers and authors could now upload electronic books, journals, magazines and newsletters through the NED website and depending on the publication’s level of access, the general public could access the collection online through Trove or onsite in their national, State or Territory library.

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