Further information for Western Australian authors and publishers
Legal Deposit
The State Library of Western Australia is the legal deposit library for Western Australian publications.
This system was established under the Copyright Act of 1895. This Act was repealed in 1994. The new Legal Deposit Act 2012 was passed in May 2012. This Act covers print, audio-visual and digital material, including works published on the Internet. Sections of the Act will become operative following the development of regulations which will be developed in consultation with stakeholders. In the interim, the State Library of Western Australia hopes that publishers will abide by the spirit of legal deposit to enable the state's documentary heritage to be preserved and made available to present and future generations.
We collect no more than two copies of each book - the first copy is archival, the second may be made available for loan. If your publication is also available in digital format we would prefer to collect a digital copy as the second copy. Please send books to:
WA Self Published and Commercial Materials Collection Services State Library of Western Australia Perth Cultural Centre 25 Francis St Perth WA 6000If you would prefer to be paid for the second copy please let us know and if we require a second copy our agent will purchase it on our behalf.
If your publication is available in digital format (whether or not it is also available in print) please send a copy to: collection.development@slwa.wa.gov.au
A publication is any work that has been made available to the public. A publication can be in any format: a book, newspaper, journal, pamphlet, map, printed music, film, CD, DVD, computer disc or other device. New legislation will also encompass online and electronic publications.
Legal deposit of Western Australian publications is also required with the National Library of Australia. Further information can be found on the National Library's website.
Please send a copy of your work to the National Library of Australia at:
Legal Deposit Unit National Library of Australia Canberra ACT 2600Please send items for the National Library directly to them, the State Library WA does not forward items to the National library.
Please contact us on (08) 9427 3348, or collection.development@slwa.wa.gov.au if you have any queries about Legal Deposit.
Selling your book through the State Library Shop
If you would like your book to be considered for sale through the State Library Shop please contact our bookshop manager, Rosene Saks, on 9427 3402, email: rosene.saks@slwa.wa.gov.au
Copies for Public Libraries
The State Library WA does not accept items for Public Libraries directly from authors and/or publishers.
Selection decisions for Public Libraries are the responsibility of staff in each Public Library.
You may contact Public Libraries directly - a link to a Public Libraries address label file is found on our Guide to Public Libraries webpage.
Alternatively, if you would like your publication to be considered for selection for public libraries, you may contact one of these suppliers:
Westbooks:
Phone: (08) 9361 4211 Fax: (08) 9361 8295 Email: orders@westbooks.com.au Web: www.westbooks.com.au 396 Mill Point Rd Victoria Park Western Australia 6100
ALS Library Services:
Phone: 1300 136 490 or (08) 8276 5500 Fax: (08) 8276 5511 Email: info@alslib.com.au Web: www.aslib.com.au 12-14 Tooronga Ave Edwardstown South Australia 5039
Authors and publishers of DVDs may contact Digital Education Services:
Phone: (03) 9690 5959 Fax: (03) 9690 5922 Email: info@digitales.com.au Web: www.digitales.com.au PO Box 5033 Middle Park Victoria 3206
Information required by Westbooks, ALS & DES includes:
- ISBN
- Full title - including any subtitle
- Author
- Editors
- Author biography - brief description of author and other works by author
- Country of Publication
- Publisher
- RRP
- Discount offered %
- Genre /Subject
- Format - paperback, hardback, etc
- Reader - Adult / Juvenile: if Juvenile, age range:
- Physical description - page count, illustrations, size (cm)
- Annotation - brief description of content
- Price - indicate if price is GST inclusive
- Contact information for orders - Name, phone, email and postal address
- Sample or colour cover image (jpg format)
- Short description about the book
Information requirements should be confirmed with Westbooks, ALS and DES including arrangements for the supply and return of sample copies.
Arrangements made for the supply of public library titles via Westbooks, ALS and DES has no relation to the supply of titles for collections housed within the State Library of Western Australia.
Titles accepted by our suppliers must fit specified profiles for content and format. Not all titles can be accepted.
A special note for family history, local history and biography writers
The State Library of Western Australia collects a wide range of documents and images for the J S Battye Library of West Australian History, and you may have some treasures to contribute to these heritage collections.
Personal letters, diaries and photographs can provide a fascinating glimpse of the past and/or depict contemporary life in Western Australia. These records are useful for researchers, family historians and others involved in the process of constructing history.
If you believe you have suitable Western Australian material for donation to the State Library, please use our Donor Kit to list items for assessment by our staff.
If you prefer you may lend us items for copying and return.
If you have any questions about donating original, unpublished material to our heritage collections, please contact:
Collection Liaison on 9427 3230, 9427 3116 or collection.liaison@slwa.wa.gov.au
Copyright
Legal deposit is sometimes confused with copyright but they are not the same. Under the Copyright Act 1968 copyright protection is granted automatically in Australia from the moment a work is created. There are no formalities to be completed, such as registration and payment of fees.
More information on copyright can be found on the Attorney-General's Department website.
ISBNs and ISSNs
The ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is a 13-digit number that uniquely identifies books and book-like products published internationally. Each number identifies a unique edition of a publication, from one specific publisher.
Information on where to apply for an ISBN and links to the appropriate agencies are found on our website.
The State Library does not issue ISBNs or ISSNs.
Cataloguing in publication
Cataloguing-in-Publication (CiP) is a free service offered to publishers by the National Library of Australia to provide a catalogue record for publications which have not yet been published.
Please contact the National Library CiP service if you have any queries about Cataloguing in Publication.
Page last updated: Wednesday 23 January 2013
