The Australian Government has amended the Legal Deposit law that says all physical works published in Australia must have a copy deposited with the National Library. This ensures that there is a comprehensive record of Australia’s cultural heritage, preserved for the people of Australia. The augmentation of the law now states that all e-books published in Australia must have a digital copy sent to the National Library.
The amendments to the Copyright Act allow the NLA to collect not just e-books but also blogs, websites and social media. Under the new provisions, Australia will protect the digital record in the same way as it always has for print.
Publishers and authors can now upload electronic books, journals, magazines and newsletters through the NLA’s website.
Michael Kozlowski is the Editor in Chief of Good e-Reader. He has been writing about audiobooks and e-readers for the past ten years. His articles have been picked up by major and local news sources and websites such as the CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and Verge.