Digitising is integral for archiving and the protection of our cultural heritage.
It also gives people the opportunity to take a stroll back through time in the comfort of their own home and the ability to share their discoveries with anyone in the world.
Changes to the Copyright Act in February 2016 have extended the digital collecting of the National Library of Australia. These changes mean that the National Library can now collect electronic publications under the legal deposit provisions of the Act.
As a result, the NLA’s electronic collections have expanded exponentially, building a rich and diverse resource for Australians—and it is just the beginning…
In the last 18 months the NLA has collected:
more than 5,900 ebooks – a massive increase on the 300 ebooks collected in the previous 12 months
more than 19,000 electronic issues across nearly 1,100 ejournals, magazines and newsletters
almost 150 electronic music scores
more than 10,000 emap files.
These incredible milestones would not have been possible without the support of more than 500 publishers.
To make the process as easy as possible, the NLA’s edeposit service enables publishers to securely deposit their electronic publications in a streamlined transaction. Publishers are able to select the access parameters to enable broader access. More than 30 per cent of the materials deposited so far are now available via the NLA’s online resource, Trove.
Print collecting remains a large and important component of the NLA’s collections and in the 2016/17 financial year it accounted for about 60 per cent of Australian collecting.
Digital collecting is becoming essential to protect, preserve and display our national heritage.
The NLA have embraced technology that has helped enrich and diversify the material available for research, enjoyment and creating connections for all Australians.