What do I need to deposit?
Find out what you need to deposit. Download and complete the legal deposit form to send with your publication.
Do I need to deposit?
Use the flowchart to find out if you need to deposit your publication with the National Library of New Zealand.
Read our list of things you don't need to deposit.
Flowchart to help you decide if you need to deposit a publication with the National Library of New Zealand.
Long description — do I need to deposit?
The flowchart asks two questions.
Are you a person or organisation based in New Zealand and are you making a publication available to the public?
If you answer no to either question, you don't need to deposit.
If you answer yes to both, the flowchart shows what action must be taken.
For physical publications you need to provide copies.
For digital publications with restricted access you need to either provide a copy or provide a way for us to access the publication.
For digital publications with open access you need to provide us with an online address.
When do I need to deposit my publication?
Send your publication within 20 days of publication. If you miss the deadline please send us your publication anyway.
How many copies do I need to deposit?
The number of copies you need to provide depends on a variety of factors. Use the information below to work out what you need to send us.
Physical or digital publications
Long description — how many copies do I need to deposit?
For most physical publication you need to submit 2 physical copies.
For physical publications where:
- there are 1 to 99 copies published, or
- it is a one-off and costs more that NZ$1000 per copy, or
- it is an ongoing publicaton and costs more that NZ$3000 per year submit 1 physical copy.
For all digitial publications submit a digital copy or provide us with an online address where we can download a copy.
Digital and physical versions
If your publication is publicly available in physical and digital formats, please deposit both, for example, vinyl sound recording and digital version. Use the information in the image above to work out how many physical publications you need to send.
Print-on-demand books
If a book is print-on-demand and is also published as a digital publication, deposit the digital version otherwise send us one physical publication.
Print-on-demand — is when a publication file is uploaded by a content creator to a platform that provides a print-on-demand service. When a customer purchases a print copy, a book is printed and delivered directly to the customer, with no involvement from the content creator.
Text, video and audio versions
Text, video and audio versions of the same work are different publications. A digital copy of each should be supplied. For example, when you are publishing a kindle (textual work) and a digital audiobook, a copy for both must be supplied.
Should I send all the editions?
Yes. We collect each edition and update of physical and digital publications to provide continuity to our collections. This lets researchers trace the development of works, and changes to the context in which they were created.
Minor typographical changes do not constitute a new edition.
Legal deposit form
Complete the legal deposit form and send it with your publication.
In the form we ask you a number of questions, the answers to these questions help us to accurately describe your publication in our catalogue.
If you are submitting an ongoing publication, for example, a magazine, you don't need to complete a form for each new issue.
Download the form and save it before you fill it out.
Download and save the legal deposit form (pdf, 350KB)Need help?
Have a look at the legal deposit help page or get in touch if you have questions about legal deposit.
Phone — 04 474 3104
Email — legaldeposit@dia.govt.nz
