Self-publishing and legal deposit (PhD Placement)

Self-publishing and legal deposit (PhD Placement)

Legal deposit is a vital part of the Library’s collection development, and governs the collection of books and other published content from publishers located in the UK. Similar rules apply for publishers in the Republic of Ireland. It applies to all publications, and is a powerful way by which we can ensure that our collection represents the full diversity of published expression. The material that we collect by legal deposit is preserved and made discoverable and accessible for research, inspiration and enjoyment. Although precise data is hard to find, self-publishing is known to represent a significant proportion of published content in the UK. These can be difficult to identify and this makes engagement with authors to encourage deposit challenging. We need to develop ways in which we can become aware of, and collection more, self-published works. However, we also recognise the need for more investigation into self-publishing, behaviour and practices, so we ca identify where to prioritise and focus activity. We are particularly interested in how a focus on self-publishing could support us in building a collection that is inclusive and representative of experience across the whole of the UK. Funder(s): Coyle: AHRC Northen Bridge DTP Deane: AHRC Midlands4Cities DTP.
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    Item type:Research report,
    Romance self-publishing and UK legal deposit
    (2024-05-10)
    Deane, Katie
    This project on romance self-publishing and legal deposit was conducted September 2023 – February 2024 in order to investigate the practices of self-published authors in the UK and their relationship to legal deposit. In particular, the research aimed to support the British Library and other deposit libraries in the identification and processing of self-published popular fiction, assess self-published authors’ opinions of libraries and deposit regulation, and point to communications strategies that may improve compliance with deposit among this population. Through interviews with twelve authors, the research found that despite author’s activity in researching publication requirements and processes through multiple means, awareness of legal deposit was inconsistent, and in most cases, insufficient. Authors were discouraged from selfinforming on and participating in legal deposit due to limited time and financial resources. However, authors held a high opinion of libraries and deposit libraries, and positive views of legal deposit as a general practice. The research results suggest that positive, values-based messaging and clear, simple guidance on UK legal deposit directly addressed at self-published authors will greatly encourage deposit in this population. Finally, the financial burden of print deposit remains a significant barrier for self-publishers utilizing print-on-demand services. Given the prevalence of pre-formatted EPUB files among the sample, the researcher advises that digital deposit be made more broadly available for this group in order to ensure the diversity of self-published works entering the collection.
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    Item type:Research report,
    Self-publishing and legal deposit in Northern Ireland
    (2024-09-17)
    Coyle, Sarah-Jane
    This report constitutes a research output from the work carried out during a PhD placement at the British Library, London. The British Library PhD Placement Scheme provides an opportunity to PhD researchers to experience research in a non-university environment, to engage with a range of research users and audiences and to make a tangible contribution to the purposes and programmes of a national library and major cultural organisation. The placement focuses on an area of research which is broadly defined by the library and then self-directed by the PhD student. In this case, the remit was self-publishing and legal deposit, which I transposed to focus on Northern Ireland specifically. The research contained in this report took place from 18th September 2023 – 8th March 2024 and was supervised by Ian Cooke, Head of Contemporary British and Irish Publications. This report summarises the project’s research questions and aims, methodology, findings and recommendations and provides suggested avenues for further research. It is hoped that the insights provided by this research will aid the British Library in ensuring that the Legal Deposit scheme is widely promoted and understood by artists and publishers, and in appraising budgetary needs to allow for a wide range of acquisitions in support of a representative collection. It is hoped that alongside this report, the relationships and contacts formed throughout the research and interview period will continue as a key resource for improving the systematic collection of Northern Irish publications.
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