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Legal Deposit |
LEGAL DEPOSIT DIVISION
LEGAL DEPOSIT LAW IN NIGERIA
PUBLICATION ORDINANCE, 1950
Legal Deposit Law in Nigeria had its origin in ‘1950
Publication Ordinance” which gave the University College Ibadan
Library and the Secretariat Library in Lagos the right to collect two
copies each of every book, published in the country. Ibadan University
Library soon undertook the publication of “ Nigeria publications “ in
the country’s National Bibliography in 1953. All the regional
government also enacted their own depository provision for publishers
within their regions, to deposit certain number of copies of every
publication to the Regional Library Board.
The Eastern Regional Board Act of 1955 gave the right to Central
Library, Enugu. Western Region enacted in similar act in 1957. The
Northern Nigeria
“ Publication Law ” enacted in 1964 also vested all deposit rights
with the library of Ahmadu Bello University.
NATIONAL LIBRARY ACT OF 1964.
The National Library Act was passed in 1964 but it failed to
provide for the fulfillment of either the function of National
depository or the publication of a National Bibliography in section 7
(1) of the act. It is clearly stated. “ This act may be cited as the
National Library Act 1964 and shall apply to the Federal Territory
only “. Looking at this it would appear that Nigeria had a National
Library established by Law, which was neither a National depository
nor could publish the National Bibliography of Nigeria.
The Ibadan University continued to fulfill this function under the
provision of the publication ordinance of 1950.
NATIONAL LIBRARY DECREE NO. 29 OF 1970.
However, in 1970 the National Library Act was promulgated in
which a real attempt was made to rectify the major short comings of
the National Library Act of 1964 with emphasis on deposit obligations
and bibliographical functions. This Decree No. 29 of 1970 applies
throughout the country and has supremacy over any library edicts of
State Government in the event of conflicts. Under this decree, the
National Library as the National Bibliography Agency of Nigeria was
enjoined to receive three (3), ten (10) and twenty five (25) copies of
everything published in Nigeria by Private or Commercial publishers,
State and Federal Agencies respectively within one month of
publication at their own expense.
A copy each of everything received will be sent to university of
Ibadan Library for continuity. It is also noteworthy that the UNESCO
guideline for the collection of Legal Deposit materials is
incorporated in the National Library Decree of 1970 that is: -
(i) Visits to publishers
(ii) Examinations of announcements and local newspapers.
(iii) Liaising with government department and government printing
offices.
(iv) Establishment of an effective clerical routine of registration,
receipts, checks and follow-ups.
WHO IS TO DEPOSIT?
There are three categories of publishers specified in the Decree: -
Category 1 - Private publishers
Category 2 - Federal Government, Ministries, Parastatals and
Agencies.
Category 3 - State Government, Ministries, Parastatals and
Agencies.
WHAT IS TO BE DEPOSITED?
Information source that is published in Nigeria. The Act in section 4
sub-section (7) defines in “ BOOK “ thus:
(a) “ All literary work such as books, pamphlets, sheets of music,
maps’ charts, plans, tables and compilations.
(b) Dramatic works
(c) Collective works such as encyclopedias, dictionaries, Year books
of similar works, newspapers, magazines and similar periodicals
(d) Any works written in distinct parts by different authors is or are
incorporate, and every part of division of such works and
(e) All forms in which documentary or oral records are published’.
This means Legal deposit is not for books and other print materials
only. It includes: all audio visual materials such as phone disks,
home videos, films, cassettes etc, and even electronic publications.
HOW MANY IS TO BE DEPOSITED?
The number of copies of published materials to be deposited
varies with the categories of publishers:
1. Private publishers are to
deposit three (3) copies each of their publications.
2. Federal
Government and its Agencies are to deposit twenty - five (25) copies
of their publications.
3. State Government and its agencies are to
deposit ten (10) copies of their publications.
WHERE TO DEPOSIT?
Click here
PENALTY FOR NON-COMPLIANCE
If a publisher fails to comply with any provision of sub –
section (1) or (2) of the National Library Decree, he shall be guilty
of an offence and on conviction shall be liable to a fine not
exceeding $50 dollars (N6, 500) and the court before which he is
convicted may in addition order him to deliver to the National
Librarian value of those copies.
BENEFITS OF LEGAL DEPOSIT
(1) Preservation of the Nation’s Intellectual output for future
generation. The preparation of the National
Bibliography of
Nigeria is however done at NBCD office at Ijora.
(2) Bibliographic Control of the Nation’s Publications.
(3) Source materials for the National Bibliography of Nigeria.
(4) The Author’s name will be entrenched in the annuals of the
Nations publications history.
(5) The publisher’s name will be listed in the publishers’ directory
section of the National Bibliography of Nigeria, which
many
Authors and organizations including libraries consult.
(6) The Legal deposit copy is the only authentic copy accepted by
the law court in cases of litigation.
(7) The legal deposit award is an annual event designed to
encourage publishers of books, serials and producers of
audiovisual materials to deposit their works with the
National
Library of Nigeria promptly in accordance with the
Legal
deposit Decree No. 29 of 1970. The National
Library under
the auspices of the Nigeria Book Foundation (NBF)
instituted
the Legal Deposit Award in 1994. The award is made
during
the National Book Week.
The criteria for the award includes coming personally to deposit such
publications within one month of publications of each of such items
and the number of titles deposited per annum. Some publishers who met
the requirement for the award have already benefited from it. This
exercise is intended to bring publishers and National Library of
Nigeria together in their related efforts to boost learning and
achieving bibliographic control of both print and non – print media in
the country.
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