There are six legal deposit libraries that benefit from the privilege of being part of the UK legal deposit system:
- The British Library, London
- National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh
- Bodleian Library, Oxford
- Cambridge University Library
- Trinity College, Dublin
- National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth.
The five libraries in Edinburgh, Oxford, Cambridge, Dublin and Aberystwyth are entitled to request and receive free of charge a copy of everything published in the United Kingdom, providing they make a request in writing within a year of the date of publication.
The Agency for the Legal Deposit Libraries requests and receives publications on behalf of these five libraries. it will distribute one copy to each of the five legal deposit libraries, including the National Library of Scotland.
British Library copy
The British Library has a slightly different privilege in that it is the responsibility of publishers to send a copy of their publications without a written claim being required. It has its own Legal Deposit Office:
Legal Deposit Office
The British Library
Boston Spa
Wetherby
West Yorkshire
LS23 7BY
Tel: 01937 546268 (books) or 01937 546267 (serials)
Email: legal-deposit-books@bl.uk or legal-deposit-serials@bl.uk