Electronic legal deposit material available

Legal deposit, which has existed in English law since 1662, ensures that the published output of the UK and Ireland is collected, preserved and made available for present and future generations. A copy of everything published in the UK and Ireland is deposited at six legal deposit libraries – the British Library, National Library of Scotland, National Library of Wales, Bodleian Libraries at University of Oxford, Cambridge University Library and Library of Trinity College, Dublin.

In 2013 the six legal deposit libraries of the UK and Ireland were granted the right to receive a copy of every electronic publication, on the same basis as they have received print publications such as books, magazines and newspapers since the seventeenth century. Digital collecting enables the libraries to collect non-print publications, including websites, ebooks and online journals, creating an unprecedented collection of digital and online publishing that captures the contemporary experience of living in the UK and Ireland.

As part of the regulations, the content of eLD can only be accessed on the premises of the six legal deposit libraries.

You can access available eLD material using a PC in any of our Reading Rooms at our sites in London or Boston Spa. To use a Reading Room PC, you’ll need to be a registered Reader. Find out how to get your free Reader Pass here.

While access to material is only available using a PC at the Library, anyone can search the eLD catalogue online, from home.

If you need help searching the catalogue or viewing material, please read our guide or ask for help from our Reference team.

At the moment, material which was deposited before October 2023 is available to view.

Material included in the interim catalogue:

• eLD journal issues
• eLD journal articles
• eLD books and sheet music

Material not included:

• eLD journal issues and articles after October 2023
• UK Web Archive content (not currently available)
• eLD maps.

Under the terms of the Legal Deposit Libraries Act 2003 and the Legal Deposit (Non-Print Works) Regulations 2013 no digital copying of electronic legal deposit material is allowed. It is not permitted to download, email, copy and paste, make screenshots or take photographs of PC screens.