Library Takes Step In Preserving Digital Heritage

National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa
MEDIA RELEASE
11 May 2006

*** National Library Takes Next Step In Preserving Digital Heritage ***

Today's notification of the National Library Requirement (Electronic Documents) Notice 2006 in the New Zealand Gazette is the next step forward in collecting and preserving New Zealand's digital heritage, says National Librarian Penny Carnaby.

The finalisation of the National Library Requirement (Electronic Documents) Notice 2006 comes after two periods of consultation. The publication of the Requirements Notice begins the implementation of the National Library's extended legal deposit responsibilities, as a result of the passing of the National Library of New Zealand Act 2003.

The extension of legal deposit to include electronic documents will assist the National Library in collecting, preserving and making accessible the published works of New Zealanders for the benefit of current and future generations.

'Now our published digital heritage will be catalogued and safely stored in the same way that our published print documentary heritage has been for more than 100 years,' says Ms Carnaby.

The extension of legal deposit to include electronic documents will come into effect on 12 August 2006. From this date legal deposit regulations will apply to:

-- Offline electronic documents (for example videotapes, audiotapes, floppy disks, CDs, DVDs and CD-ROMs)
-- Internet documents (including entire websites, and individual documents published on websites, such as annual reports and consultation documents)

Publishers of offline electronic documents will be required to supply these to the National Library. Publishers of internet documents are required to assist the Library to obtain a copy of the item upon request. The National Library will make copies of internet documents through periodic web harvests.

The National Library has developed an online submission tool for internet publishers, and will be encouraging publishers to upload their internet documents. A number of publishers have used the submission tool since it came online in September 2005.

As an alternative to the submission tool, an email address has been established so that publishers can alert the National Library when they post new internet documents.

The National Library will be working with publishers over the next three months to ensure the smooth introduction of the extension of legal deposit. During this time further information will be posted on the National Library website www.natlib.govt.nz.

ENDS

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