Electronic Legal Deposit in the United Kingdom: Successes and Challenges of Transfer and Transformation

Abstract

Abstract The introduction of electronic legal deposit is arguably the greatest transformation which national libraries have undergone in our professional lifetimes. This article argues that many institutions have successfully implemented technical, structural, and cultural transformative change, while there is more to do, and challenges remain. When it comes to transfer however, the ability to give users meaningful access to the legal deposit collections, the picture is rather different: much good work is being done, but the transformative potential of electronic legal deposit has not been realised for our users. The article explores the broader cultural background specifically in the United Kingdom against which the relevant legislation was shaped to understand better what steps could be taken in the future to redress this imbalance.